Epistula ad Colossenses, 1

1. Paulus, apostolus Christi Iesu per voluntatem Dei, et Timo theus frater

1. Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,

2. his, qui sunt Colossis, sanctis et fidelibus fratribus in Christo: gratia vobis et pax a Deo Patre nostro.

2. To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ at Colos'sae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father.

3. Gratias agimus Deo Patri Domini nostri Iesu Christi semper pro vobis orantes,

3. We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you,

4. audientes fidem vestram in Christo Iesu et dilectionem, quam habetis in sanctos omnes,

4. because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love which you have for all the saints,

5. propter spem, quae reposita est vobis in caelis, quam ante audistis in verbo veritatis evangelii,

5. because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel

6. quod pervenit ad vos, sicut et in universo mundo est fructificans et crescens, sicut et in vobis, ex ea die, qua audistis et cognovistis gratiam Dei in veritate;

6. which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and growing -- so among yourselves, from the day you heard and understood the grace of God in truth,

7. sicut didicistis ab Epaphra carissimo conservo nostro, qui est fidelis pro nobis minister Christi,

7. as you learned it from Ep'aphras our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf

8. qui etiam manifestavit nobis dilectionem vestram in Spiritu.

8. and has made known to us your love in the Spirit.

9. Ideo et nos, ex qua die audivimus, non cessamus pro vobis orantes et postulantes, ut impleamini agnitione voluntatis eius in omni sapientia et intellectu spiritali,

9. And so, from the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,

10. ut ambuletis digne Domino per omnia placentes, in omni opere bono fructificantes et crescentes in scientia Dei,

10. to lead a life worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.

11. in omni virtute confortati secundum potentiam claritatis eius in omnem patientiam et longanimitatem, cum gaudio

11. May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy,

12. gratias agentes Patri, qui idoneos vos fecit in partem sortis sanctorum in lumine;

12. giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.

13. qui eripuit nos de potestate tenebrarum et transtulit in regnum Filii dilectionis suae,

13. He has delivered us from the dominion of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,

14. in quo habemus redemptionem, remissionem peccatorum;

14. in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

15. qui est imago Dei invisibilis, primogenitus omnis creaturae,

15. He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation;

16. quia in ipso condita sunt universa in caelis et in terra, visibilia et invisibilia, sive throni sive dominationes sive principatus sive potestates. Omnia per ipsum et in ipsum creata sunt,

16. for in him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or authorities -- all things were created through him and for him.

17. et ipse est ante omnia, et omnia in ipso constant.

17. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

18. Et ipse est caput corporis ecclesiae; qui est principium, primogenitus ex mortuis, ut sit in omnibus ipse primatum tenens,

18. He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the first-born from the dead, that in everything he might be pre-eminent.

19. quia in ipso complacuit omnem plenitudinem habitare

19. For in him all the fulness of God was pleased to dwell,

20. et per eum reconciliare omnia in ipsum, pacificans per sanguinem crucis eius, sive quae in terris sive quae in caelis sunt.

20. and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

21. Et vos, cum essetis aliquando alienati et inimici sensu in operibus malis,

21. And you, who once were estranged and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds,

22. nunc autem reconciliavit in corpore carnis eius per mortem exhibere vos sanctos et immaculatos et irreprehensibiles coram ipso;

22. he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and irreproachable before him,

23. si tamen permanetis in fide fundati et stabiles et immobiles a spe evangelii, quod audistis, quod praedicatum est in universa creatura, quae sub caelo est, cuius factus sum ego Paulus minister.

23. provided that you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which has been preached to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.

24. Nunc gaudeo in passionibus pro vobis et adimpleo, ea quae desunt passionum Christi in carne mea pro corpore eius, quod est ecclesia,

24. Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I complete what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church,

25. cuius factus sum ego minister secundum dispensationem Dei, quae data est mihi in vos, ut impleam verbum Dei;

25. of which I became a minister according to the divine office which was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known,

26. mysterium, quod absconditum fuit a saeculis et generationibus, nunc autem manifestatum est sanctis eius,

26. the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now made manifest to his saints.

27. quibus voluit Deus notas facere divitias gloriae mysterii huius in gentibus, quod est Christus in vobis, spes gloriae;

27. To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

28. quem nos annuntiamus, commonentes omnem hominem et docentes omnem hominem in omni sapientia, ut exhibeamus omnem hominem perfectum in Christo;

28. Him we proclaim, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man mature in Christ.

29. ad quod et laboro certando secundum operationem eius, quae operatur in me in virtute.

29. For this I toil, striving with all the energy which he mightily inspires within me.