¹⁸ to ^(A)open their eyes so that they may turn from ^(B)darkness to light and from the dominion of ^(C)Satan to God, that they may receive ^(D)forgiveness of sins and an ^(E)inheritance among those who have been sanctified by ^(F)faith in Me.’

¹² giving thanks to ^(A)the Father, who has qualified us ^[a]to share in ^(B)the inheritance of the ^[b]saints in ^(C)Light.

The Incomparable Christ

^13 [c]For He rescued us from the ^[d](D)domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of ^[e](E)His beloved Son, ^14 (F)in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

^15 [f]He is the ^(G)image of the ^(H)invisible God, the ^(I)firstborn of all creation. ¹⁶ For ^[g](J)by Him all things were created, ^(K)both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether ^(L)thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—^(M)all things have been created through Him and for Him. ¹⁷ He ^[h](N)is before all things, and in Him all things ^[i]hold together. ¹⁸ He is also ^(O)head of ^(P)the body, the church; and He is ^(Q)the beginning, ^(R)the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. ¹⁹ For ^[j]it was ^(S)the Father’s good pleasure for all ^(T)the ^[k]fullness to dwell in Him, ²⁰ and through Him to ^(U)reconcile all things to Himself, having made ^(V)peace through ^(W)the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, ^(X)whether things on earth or things in ^[l]heaven.

²¹ And although you were ^(Y)formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, ²² yet He has now ^(Z)reconciled you in His fleshly ^(AA)body through death, in order to ^(AB)present you before Him ^(AC)holy and blameless and beyond reproach— ²³ if indeed you continue in ^[m]the faith firmly ^(AD)established and steadfast, and not moved away from the ^(AE)hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed ^(AF)in all creation under heaven, ^(AG)and of which I, Paul, ^[n]was made a ^[o](AH)minister.

^24 (AI)Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh ^(AJ)I ^[p]do my share on behalf of ^(AK)His body, which is the church, in filling up what is lacking ^[q]in Christ’s afflictions. ^25 (AL)Of this church I ^[r]was made a minister according to the ^(AM)stewardship from God bestowed on me for your benefit, so that I might ^[s]fully carry out the preaching of the word of God, ²⁶ that is, ^(AN)the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested to His ^[t]saints, ²⁷ to whom ^(AO)God willed to make known what is ^(AP)the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is ^(AQ)Christ in you, the ^(AR)hope of glory. ²⁸ We proclaim Him, ^(AS)admonishing every man and teaching every man ^[u]with all ^(AT)wisdom, so that we may ^(AU)present every man ^[v](AV)complete in Christ. ²⁹ For this purpose also I ^(AW)labor, ^(AX)striving ^(AY)according to His ^[w]power, which ^[x]mightily works within me.