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

¹Paulus, Kristi Jesu Apostel ved Guds Villie, og Broderen Timotheus.

²to the saints and faithful brothers The word for “brothers” here and where context allows may also be correctly translated “brothers and sisters” or “siblings.” in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

²til de hellige og troende Brødre i Kristus i Kolossæ: Nåde være med eder og Fred fra Gud vor Fader!

³We give thanks to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,

³Vi takke Gud og vor Herres Jesu Kristi Fader altid, når vi bede for eder,

⁴having heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which you have toward all the saints,

⁴da vi have hørt om eders Tro på Kristus Jesus og den Kærlighed, som I have til alle de hellige

⁵because of the hope which is laid up for you in the heavens, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the Good News,

⁵på Grund af det Håb, som er henlagt til eder i Himlene, om hvilket I forud have hørt i Evangeliets Sandheds Ord,

⁶which has come to you; even as it is in all the world and is bearing fruit and growing, as it does in you also, since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth;

⁶der er kommet til eder, ligesom det også er i den hele Verden, idet det bærer Frugt og vokser, ligesom det også gør iblandt eder fra den Dag, I hørte og erkendte Guds Nåde i Sandhed,

⁷even as you learned of Epaphras our beloved fellow servant, who is a faithful servant of Christ on our behalf,

⁷således som I have lært af Epafras, vor elskede Medtjener som er en tro Kristi Tjener for eder,

⁸who also declared to us your love in the Spirit.

⁸han, som også gav os eders Kærlighed i Ånden til Kende.

⁹For this cause, we also, since the day we heard this, don’t cease praying and making requests for you, that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,

⁹Derfor have også vi fra den Dag, vi hørte det, ikke ophørt at bede for eder og begære, at I måtte fyldes med Erkendelsen af hans Villie i al Visdom og åndelige Indsigt

¹⁰that you may walk worthily of the Lord, to please him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

¹⁰til at vandre Herren værdigt, til alt Velbehag, idet I bære Frugt og vokse i al god Gerning ved Erkendelsen af Gud,

¹¹strengthened with all power, according to the might of his glory, for all endurance and perseverance with joy;

¹¹idet I styrkes med al Styrke efter hans Herligheds Kraft til al Udholdenhed og Tålmodighed med Glæde

¹²giving thanks to the Father, who made us fit to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light;

¹²og takke Faderen, som gjorde os dygtige til at have Del i de helliges Arvelod i Lyset,

¹³who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the Kingdom of the Son of his love;

¹³han, som friede os ud af Mørkets Magt og satte os over i sin elskede Søns Rige,

¹⁴in whom we have our redemption, TR adds “through his blood,” the forgiveness of our sins;

¹⁴i hvem vi have Forløsningen, Syndernes Forladelse,

¹⁵who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.

¹⁵han, som er den usynlige Guds Billede, al Skabnings førstefødte;

¹⁶For by him all things were created, in the heavens and on the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been created through him, and for him.

¹⁶thi i ham bleve alle Ting skabte i Himlene og på Jorden, de synlige og de usynlige, være sig Troner eller Herredømmer eller Magter eller Myndigheder. Alle Ting ere skabte ved ham og til ham;

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

¹⁷og han er forud for alle Ting, og alle Ting bestå ved ham.

¹⁸He is the head of the body, the assembly, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

¹⁸Og han er Legemets Hoved, nemlig Menighedens, han, som er Begyndelsen, førstefødt ud af de døde, for at han skulde blive den ypperste i alle Ting;

¹⁹For all the fullness was pleased to dwell in him;

¹⁹thi det behagede Gud, at i ham skulde hele Fylden bo,

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

²⁰og ved ham at forlige alle Ting med sig, være sig dem på Jorden eller dem i Himlene, idet han stiftede Fred ved hans Kors's Blod.

²¹You, being in past times alienated and enemies in your mind in your evil works,

²¹Også eder, som fordum vare fremmedgjorte og fjendske af Sindelag i eders onde Gerninger,

²²yet now he has reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and without blemish and blameless before him,

²²har han dog nu forligt i sit Køds Legeme ved Døden for at fremstille eder hellige og ulastelige og ustraffelige for sit Åsyn,

²³if it is so that you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the Good News which you heard, which is being proclaimed in all creation under heaven; of which I, Paul, was made a servant.

²³så sandt I blive i Troen, grundfæstede og faste, uden at lade eder rokke fra Håbet i det Evangelium, som I have hørt, hvilket er blevet prædiket i al Skabningen under Himmelen, og hvis Tjener jeg Paulus er bleven.

²⁴Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and fill up on my part that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the assembly;

²⁴Nu glæder jeg mig over mine Lidelser for eder, og hvad der fattes i Kristi Trængsler, udfylder jeg i mit Kød for hans Legeme, som er Menigheden,

²⁵of which I was made a servant, according to the stewardship of God which was given me toward you, to fulfill the word of God,

²⁵hvis Tjener jeg er bleven efter den Guds Husholdning, som blev given mig over for eder, nemlig fuldelig at forkynde Guds Ord,

²⁶the mystery which has been hidden for ages and generations. But now it has been revealed to his saints,

²⁶den Hemmelighed, der var skjult igennem alle Tider og Slægter, men nu er bleven åbenbaret for hans hellige,

²⁷to whom God was pleased to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory;

²⁷hvem Gud vilde tilkendegive, hvilken Rigdom på Herlighed iblandt Hedningerne der ligger i denne Hemmelighed, som er Kristus i eder, Herlighedens Håb,

²⁸whom we proclaim, admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus;

²⁸hvem vi forkynde, idet vi påminde hvert Menneske og lære hvert Menneske med al Visdom, for at vi kunne fremstille hvert Menneske som fuldkomment i Kristus;

²⁹for which I also labor, striving according to his working, which works in me mightily.

²⁹hvorpå jeg også arbejder, idet jeg kæmper ifølge hans Kraft, som virker mægtigt i mig.