He who is the image of the invisible God,
Firstborn before all creation,
because in Him all things were created —
things in heaven and things on earth,
things visible and invisible,
whether thrones or dominions,
whether principalities or powers —
they have all been created through Him and for Him
He indeed is before all things,
and they all cohere in Him;
He is also the head of the body, the church
He is the beginning,
Firstborn from the dead,
that He might be preeminent in all things,
because in Him it was decreed that all the fullness should
take up residence
and that through Him, [God] should reconcile all things
to Himself,
having made peace through the blood of His cross — [through
Him], whether those on earth or those in heaven
translation by FF Bruce
