15. who is the likeness of the invisible Elohim, the first-born of all creation.
16. Because in Him were created all that are in the heavens and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or rulerships or principalities or authorities – all have been created through Him and for Him.
17. And He is before all, and in Him all hold together.
18. And He is the Head of the body, the assembly, who is the beginning, the first-born from the dead, that He might become the One who is first in all.
19. Because in Him all the completeness was well pleased to dwell,
20. and through Him to completely restore to favour all unto Himself, whether on earth or in the heavens, having made peace through the blood of His stake.
21. And you, who once were estranged and enemies in the mind by wicked works, but now He has completely restored to favour
22. in the body of His flesh through death, to present you set-apart, and blameless, and unreprovable before Him,
23. if indeed you continue in the belief, founded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the expectation of the Good News which you heard, which was proclaimed to every creature under the heaven, of which I, Sha’ul, became a servant,
24. who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in Messiah’s afflictions, for the sake of His Body, which is the assembly,
25. of which I became a servant according to the administration of Elohim which was given to me for you, to fill the word of Elohim,
26. the secret which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His set-apart ones,