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Thankfulness
for Spiritual Attainments |
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Colossians 1:1
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Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will
of God, and Timothy our brother, |
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Colossians 1:2
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To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ
who are at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father. |
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Colossians 1:3
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We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ, praying always for you, |
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Colossians 1:4
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since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus
and the love which you have for all the saints; |
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Colossians 1:5
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because of the hope laid up for you in heaven,
of which you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel |
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Colossians 1:6
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which has come to you, just as in all the world
also it is constantly bearing fruit and increasing, even as it has been doing
in you also since the day you heard of it and understood the grace of God in truth; |
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Colossians 1:7
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just as you learned it from Epaphras, our beloved
fellow bond-servant, who is a faithful servant of Christ on our behalf, |
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Colossians 1:8
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and he also informed us of your love in the
Spirit. |
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Colossians 1:9
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For this reason also, since the day we heard
of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with
the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, |
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Colossians 1:10
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so that you will walk in a manner worthy of
the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and
increasing in the knowledge of God; |
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Colossians 1:11
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strengthened with all power, according to His
glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously
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Colossians 1:12
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giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified
us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light. |
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The
Incomparable Christ |
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Colossians 1:13
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For He rescued us from the domain of darkness,
and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, |
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Colossians 1:14
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in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness
of sins. |
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Colossians 1:15
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He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn
of all creation. |
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Colossians 1:16
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For by Him all things were created, both in
the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions
or rulers or authorities--all things have been created through Him and for Him.
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Colossians 1:17
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He is before all things, and in Him all things
hold together. |
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Colossians 1:18
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He is also head of the body, the church; and
He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come
to have first place in everything. |
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Colossians 1:19
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For it was the Father's good pleasure for all
the fullness to dwell in Him, |
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Colossians 1:20
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and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself,
having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether
things on earth or things in heaven. |
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Colossians 1:21
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And although you were formerly alienated and
hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, |
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Colossians 1:22
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yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly
body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and
beyond reproach-- |
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Colossians 1:23
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if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established
and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard,
which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made
a minister. |
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Colossians 1:24
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Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake,
and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body, which is the church, in filling
up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions. |
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Colossians 1:25
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Of this church I was made a minister according
to the stewardship from God bestowed on me for your benefit, so that I might fully
carry out the preaching of the word of God, |
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Colossians 1:26
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that is, the mystery which has been hidden from
the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested to His saints, |
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Colossians 1:27
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to whom God willed to make known what is the
riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you,
the hope of glory. |
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Colossians 1:28
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We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching
every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ.
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Colossians 1:29
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For this purpose also I labor, striving according
to His power, which mightily works within me. |
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