Chapter 1

PauloV, apostoloV Ihsou Cristou dia qelhmatoV Qeou, kai TimoqeoV o adelfoV,

proV touV agiouV kai pistouV en Cristw adelfouV touV en KolossaiV× cariV eih umin kai eirhnh apo Qeou PatroV hmwn kai Kuriou Ihsou Cristou.

Eucaristoumen ton Qeon kai Patera tou Kuriou hmwn Ihsou Cristou, proseucomenoi pantote uper umwn,

akousanteV thn eiV ton Ihsoun Criston pistin saV kai thn eiV pantaV touV agiouV agaphn,

dia thn elpida thn apotetamieumenhn dia saV en toiV ouranoiV, thn opoian prohkousate en tw logw thV alhqeiaV tou euaggeliou,

to opoion hlqen eiV esaV, kaqwV kai eiV olon ton kosmon, kai karpoforei kaqwV kai eiV esaV, af' hV hmeraV hkousate kai egnwrisate thn carin tou Qeou en alhqeia,

kaqwV kai emaqete apo Epafra tou agaphtou sundoulou hmwn, ostiV einai dia saV, pistoV diakonoV tou Cristou,

ostiV kai efanerwsen eiV hmaV thn en Pneumati agaphn saV.

Dia touto kai hmeiV, af' hV hmeraV hkousamen, den pauomen proseucomenoi dia saV kai deomenoi na emplhsqhte apo thV epignwsewV tou qelhmatoV autou meta pashV sofiaV kai pneumatikhV sunesewV,

dia na peripathshte axiwV tou Kuriou, euarestounteV kata panta, karpoforounteV eiV pan ergon agaqon kai auxanomenoi eiV thn epignwsin tou Qeou,

endunamoumenoi en pash dunamei kata to kratoV thV doxhV autou eiV pasan upomonhn kai makroqumian,

meta caraV eucaristounteV ton Patera, ostiV ekamen hmaV axiouV thV meridoV tou klhrou twn agiwn en tw fwti,

ostiV hleuqerwsen hmaV ek thV exousiaV tou skotouV kai meteferen eiV thn basileian tou agaphtou autou Uiou×

eiV ton opoion ecomen thn apolutrwsin dia tou aimatoV autou, thn afesin twn amartiwn×

ostiV einai eikwn tou Qeou tou aoratou, prwtotokoV pashV ktisewV,

epeidh di' autou ektisqhsan ta panta, ta en toiV ouranoiV kai ta epi thV ghV, ta orata kai ta aorata, eite qronoi eite kuriothteV eite arcai eite exousiai× ta panta di' autou kai eiV auton ektisqhsan×

kai autoV einai pro pantwn, kai ta panta sunthrountai di' autou,

kai autoV einai h kefalh tou swmatoV, thV ekklhsiaV× ostiV einai arch, prwtotokoV ek twn nekrwn, dia na geinh autoV prwteuwn eiV ta panta,

dioti en autw hudokhsen o Pathr na katoikhsh pan to plhrwma

kai di' autou na sundiallaxh ta panta proV eauton, eirhnopoihsaV dia tou aimatoV tou staurou autou, di' autou, eite ta epi thV ghV eite ta en toiV ouranoiV.

Kai saV, oitineV hsqe pote aphllotriwmenoi kai ecqroi kata thn dianoian me ta erga ta ponhra,

twra omwV dihllaxe proV eauton dia tou swmatoV thV sarkoV autou dia tou qanatou, dia na saV parasthsh enwpion autou agiouV kai amwmouV kai anegklhtouV,

ean epimenhte eiV thn pistin, teqemeliwmenoi kai stereoi kai mh metakinoumenoi apo thV elpidoV tou euaggeliou, to opoion hkousate, tou khrucqentoV eiV pasan thn ktisin thn upo ton ouranon, tou opoiou egw o PauloV egeina uphrethV.

Twra cairw eiV ta paqhmata mou dia saV, kai antanaplhrw ta usterhmata twn qliyewn tou Cristou en th sarki mou uper tou swmatoV autou, to opoion einai h ekklhsia,

thV opoiaV egw egeina uphrethV kata thn oikonomian tou Qeou thn eiV eme doqeisan dia saV, dia na ekplhrwsw to khrugma tou logou tou Qeou,

to musthrion, to opoion hto apokekrummenon apo twn aiwnwn kai apo twn genewn, twra de efanerwqh eiV touV agiouV autou,

eiV touV opoiouV hqelhsen o QeoV na fanerwsh tiV o ploutoV thV doxhV tou musthriou toutou eiV ta eqnh, ostiV einai o CristoV eiV esaV, h elpiV thV doxhV×

ton opoion hmeiV khruttomen, nouqetounteV panta anqrwpon kai didaskonteV panta anqrwpon en pash sofia, dia na parasthswmen panta anqrwpon teleion en Cristw Ihsou×

eiV to opoion kai kopiazw, agwnizomenoV kata thn energeian autou thn energoumenhn en emoi meta dunamewV.