The Preeminence of Christ

^15 (A)He is the image of ^(B)the invisible God, ^(C)the firstborn of all creation. ¹⁶ For by^[a] him all things were created, ^(D)in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether ^(E)thrones or ^(F)dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created ^(G)through him and for him. ¹⁷ And ^(H)he is before all things, and in him all things ^(I)hold together. ¹⁸ And ^(J)he is the head of the body, the church. He is ^(K)the beginning, ^(L)the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. ¹⁹ For ^(M)in him all the ^(N)fullness of God was pleased to dwell, ²⁰ and ^(O)through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, ^(P)making peace ^(Q)by the blood of his cross.

^21 (R)And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, ^(S)doing evil deeds, ²² he has now reconciled ^(T)in his body of flesh by his death, ^(U)in order to present you holy and blameless and ^(V)above reproach before him, ^23 (W)if indeed you continue in the faith, ^(X)stable and steadfast, not shifting from ^(Y)the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed ^(Z)in all creation^[b] under heaven, ^(AA)and of which I, Paul, became a minister.

^3 (A)All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.

²⁶ Then God said, ^(A)“Let us make man^[a] in our image, ^(B)after our likeness. And ^(C)let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

⁷ and to grant ^(A)relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when ^(B)the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven ^(C)with his mighty angels ^8 (D)in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those ^(E)who do not know God and on those who ^(F)do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. ⁹ They will suffer the punishment of ^(G)eternal destruction, ^(H)away from^[a] the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might,

¹³ For ^(A)“everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

¹⁴ How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him ^(B)of whom they have never heard?^[a] And how are they to hear ^(C)without someone preaching? ¹⁵ And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ^(D)“How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”