The Daily Audio Bible

¹⁸ And He Himself is the head of the body, the church.

The Son Is First In Everything, Because God Reconciled All Things Through Him

... Who is the beginning^[a], the firstborn from the dead, in order that He Himself might come-to-be holding-first-place in all things, ¹⁹ because the Father^[b] was well-pleased that all the fullness^[c] should dwell in Him ²⁰ and that He should reconcile all things through Him to Himself, having made-peace through the blood of His cross— through Him, whether the things on the earth or the things in the heavens.

Indeed, You Yourselves Were Reconciled By Him

²¹ Indeed you were formerly being excluded, and were enemies^[d] in the mind in-connection-with evil works. ²² But now He reconciled you in the body of His flesh^[e] through His death, that He might present you holy and without-blemish and blameless in His presence— ²³ if indeed^[f] you continue in the faith, having been founded, and steadfast, and not being moved-away from the hope of the good-news which you heard, the one having been proclaimed in^[g] all creation under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister^[h].

I Am Suffering To Fulfill My Stewardship of God’s Now Revealed Mystery: Christ In You

²⁴ Now I am rejoicing in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling-up-in-turn^[i] the things lacking from the afflictions of Christ^[j], for the sake of His body, which is the church, ²⁵ of which I became a minister according-to^[k] the stewardship^[l] of God having been given to me for you, that I might fulfill^[m] the word of God— ²⁶ the mystery having been hidden from the past ages and from the past generations. But now it was revealed to His saints, ²⁷ to whom God willed^[n] 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, ²⁸ Whom we are proclaiming, admonishing every person, and teaching every person with all wisdom, in order that we may present every person mature^[o] in Christ, ²⁹ for which^[p] I also am laboring, struggling^[q] according to His working being at-work^[r] in me with power.

I Am Struggling Greatly For an Increase In Your Assurance And Knowledge of Christ

2 For I want you to know how great a struggle I am having for your sake and the ones in Laodicea, and all-who have not seen my face in the flesh, ² in order that their hearts might be encouraged— they having been brought-together^[s] in love and for^[t] all the riches of the full-assurance of understanding, for^[u] the full-knowledge of the mystery of God— Christ, ³ in Whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, hidden-away^[v]. ⁴ I am saying this^[w] in order that no one may be deluding you with persuasive-argument. ⁵ For even though I am absent in the flesh, nevertheless I am with you in the spirit, rejoicing and seeing your order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.

So Be Walking In Christ And Established In The Faith You Were Taught

⁶ As then you received Christ Jesus the^[x] Lord, be walking in Him— ⁷ having been rooted, and being built-up in Him, and being established in the^[y] faith just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.