The Scripture for Sunday - Colossians 1:15-23

In the series, Rooted in Christ: A Journey through Colossians, we're journeying through Paul's letter to the Colossians, discovering how to plant our lives firmly in Christ—the one who holds all things together. In seven services, we’ll explore how we might become rooted in his grace and love as we live our lives. We’ll cover the following:

• Rooted in Prayer (Colossians 1:1-14) - June 15
• Rooted in Peace (Colossians 1:15-23) - June 22
• Rooted in Service (Colossians 1:24–2:5) - July 6
• Rooted in Faith (Colossians 2:6-19) - July 13
• Rooted in Freedom (Colossians 2:20 – 3:11) - July 20
• Rooted in Fellowship (Colossians 3:12 – 4:1) - July 27
• Rooted in Witness (Colossians 4:2-18) - August 3

On Sunday, we’ll continue the series by looking at Colossians 1:15-23. Below is the passages in three different translations. You can stream the service by going to the Sligo Presbyterian Church YouTube Channel on Sundays at 10:00 a.m. (EDT).  You can hear a podcast of the service at the Sligo Presbyterian Church YouTube Channel or the Sligo Presbyterian Spotify Page.

Colossians 1:15-23 [Contemporary English Version]

Christ is exactly like God,

    who cannot be seen.

He is the first-born Son,

    superior to all creation.

Everything was created by him,

everything in heaven

    and on earth,

everything seen and unseen,

including all forces

    and powers,

and all rulers

    and authorities.

All things were created

    by God's Son,

and everything was made

    for him.

God's Son was before all else,

and by him everything

    is held together.

He is the head of his body,

    which is the church.

He is the very beginning,

the first to be raised

    from death,

so that he would be

    above all others.

God himself was pleased

    to live fully in his Son.

And God was pleased

    for him to make peace

by sacrificing his blood

    on the cross,

so that all beings in heaven

    and on earth

would be brought back to God.

You used to be far from God. Your thoughts made you his enemies, and you did evil things. But his Son became a human and died. So God made peace with you, and now he lets you stand in his presence as people who are holy and faultless and innocent. But you must stay deeply rooted and firm in your faith. You must not give up the hope you received when you heard the good news. It was preached to everyone on earth, and I myself have become a servant of this message.

Colossians 1:15-23 [New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition]

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation, for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him. He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.

And you who were once estranged and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his fleshly body through death, so as to present you holy and blameless and irreproachable before him, provided that you continue securely established and steadfast in the faith, without shifting from the hope promised by the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven. I, Paul, became a minister of this gospel.

Colossians 1:15-23 [Amplified Bible]

He is the exact living image [the essential manifestation] of the unseen God [the visible representation of the invisible], the firstborn [the preeminent one, the sovereign, and the originator] of all creation. For by Him all things were created in heaven and on earth, [things] visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities; all things were created and exist through Him [that is, by His activity] and for Him. And He Himself existed and is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. [His is the controlling, cohesive force of the universe.] He is also the head [the life-source and leader] of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will occupy the first place [He will stand supreme and be preeminent] in everything. For it pleased the Father for all the fullness [of deity—the sum total of His essence, all His perfection, powers, and attributes] to dwell [permanently] in Him (the Son), and through [the intervention of] the Son to reconcile all things to Himself, making peace [with believers] through the blood of His cross; through Him, [I say,] whether things on earth or things in heaven.

And although you were at one time estranged and alienated and hostile-minded [toward Him], participating in evil things, yet Christ has now reconciled you [to God] in His physical body through death, in order to present you before the Father holy and blameless and beyond reproach— [and He will do this] if you continue in the faith, well-grounded and steadfast, and not shifting away from the [confident] hope [that is a result] of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which [gospel] I, Paul, was made a minister.