1 P ablo, apóstol de Jesucristo por la voluntad de Dios, y el hermano Timoteo,

Paul, an apostle (special messenger) of Christ Jesus (the Messiah), by the will of God, and Timothy brother,

2 a los santos y fieles hermanos en Cristo que están en Colosas: Gracia y paz sean a vosotros, de Dios nuestro Padre y del Señor Jesucristo. Pablo pide que Dios les conceda sabiduría espiritual

To the saints (the consecrated people of God) and believing and faithful brethren in Christ who are at Colossae: Grace (spiritual favor and blessing) to you and peace from God our Father.

3 S iempre que oramos por vosotros, damos gracias a Dios, Padre de nuestro Señor Jesucristo,

We continually give thanks to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah), as we are praying for you,

4 p ues hemos oído de vuestra fe en Cristo Jesús y del amor que tenéis a todos los santos,

For we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus '> the leaning of your entire human personality on Him in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness] and of the love which you for all the saints (God’s consecrated ones),

5 a causa de la esperanza que os está guardada en los cielos. De esta esperanza ya habéis oído por la palabra verdadera del evangelio,

Because of the hope laid up ( reserved and waiting) for you in heaven. Of this you heard in the past in the message of the truth of the Gospel,

6 q ue ha llegado hasta vosotros, así como a todo el mundo, y lleva fruto y crece también en vosotros, desde el día que oísteis y conocisteis la gracia de Dios en verdad.

Which has come to you. Indeed, in the whole world is bearing fruit and still is growing, even as it has done among yourselves ever since the day you first heard and came to know and understand the grace of God in truth.

7 A sí lo aprendisteis de Epafras, nuestro consiervo amado, que es un fiel ministro de Cristo para vosotros,

You so learned it from Epaphras, our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ in our stead and as our representative and yours.

8 q uien también nos ha declarado vuestro amor en el Espíritu.

Also he has informed us of your love in the Spirit.

9 P or lo cual también nosotros, desde el día que lo oímos, no cesamos de orar por vosotros y de pedir que seáis llenos del conocimiento de su voluntad en toda sabiduría e inteligencia espiritual.

For this reason we also, from the day we heard of it, have not ceased to pray and make '> special] request for you, that you may be filled with the full (deep and clear) knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom '> in comprehensive insight into the ways and purposes of God] and in understanding and discernment of spiritual things—

10 A sí podréis andar como es digno del Señor, agradándolo en todo, llevando fruto en toda buena obra y creciendo en el conocimiento de Dios.

That you may walk (live and conduct yourselves) in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him and desiring to please Him in all things, bearing fruit in every good work and steadily growing and increasing in and by the knowledge of God '> acquaintance, and recognition].

11 F ortalecidos con todo poder, conforme a la potencia de su gloria, obtendréis fortaleza y paciencia,

that you may be invigorated and strengthened with all power according to the might of His glory, every kind of endurance and patience (perseverance and forbearance) with joy,

12 y , con gozo, daréis gracias al Padre que nos hizo aptos para participar de la herencia de los santos en luz.

Giving thanks to the Father, Who has qualified and made us fit to share the portion which is the inheritance of the saints (God’s holy people) in the Light.

13 É l nos ha librado del poder de las tinieblas y nos ha trasladado al reino de su amado Hijo,

has delivered and drawn us to Himself out of the control and the dominion of darkness and has transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,

14 e n quien tenemos redención por su sangre, el perdón de pecados. Reconciliación por medio de la muerte de Cristo

In Whom we have our redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our sins.

15 C risto es la imagen del Dios invisible, el primogénito de toda creación,

He is the exact likeness of the unseen God; He is the Firstborn of all creation.

16 p orque en él fueron creadas todas las cosas, las que hay en los cielos y las que hay en la tierra, visibles e invisibles; sean tronos, sean dominios, sean principados, sean potestades; todo fue creado por medio de él y para él.

For it was in Him that all things were created, in heaven and on earth, things seen and things unseen, whether thrones, dominions, rulers, or authorities; all things were created and exist through Him and in and for Him.

17 Y él es antes que todas las cosas, y todas las cosas en él subsisten.

And He Himself existed before all things, and in Him all things consist (cohere, are held together).

18 É l es también la cabeza del cuerpo que es la iglesia, y es el principio, el primogénito de entre los muertos, para que en todo tenga la preeminencia,

He also is the Head of body, the church; seeing He is the Beginning, the Firstborn from among the dead, so that He alone in everything and in every respect might occupy the chief place.

19 p orque al Padre agradó que en él habitara toda la plenitud,

For it has pleased that all the divine fullness (the sum total of the divine perfection, powers, and attributes) should dwell in Him permanently.

20 y por medio de él reconciliar consigo todas las cosas, así las que están en la tierra como las que están en los cielos, haciendo la paz mediante la sangre de su cruz.

And God purposed that through ( by the service, the intervention of) Him all things should be completely reconciled back to Himself, whether on earth or in heaven, as through Him, made peace by means of the blood of His cross.

21 T ambién a vosotros, que erais en otro tiempo extraños y enemigos por vuestros pensamientos y por vuestras malas obras, ahora os ha reconciliado

And although you at one time were estranged and alienated from Him and were of hostile attitude of mind in your wicked activities,

22 e n su cuerpo de carne, por medio de la muerte, para presentaros santos y sin mancha e irreprochables delante de él.

Yet now has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, in order to present you holy and faultless and irreproachable in His presence.

23 P ero es necesario que permanezcáis fundados y firmes en la fe, sin moveros de la esperanza del evangelio que habéis oído, el cual se predica en toda la creación que está debajo del cielo y del cual yo, Pablo, fui hecho ministro.

provided that you continue to stay with and in the faith, well-grounded and settled and steadfast, not shifting or moving away from the hope the glad tidings (the Gospel), which you heard and which has been preached to every person under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.

24 A hora me gozo en lo que padezco por vosotros y cumplo en mi carne lo que falta de las aflicciones de Cristo por su cuerpo, que es la iglesia.

now I rejoice in the midst of my sufferings on your behalf. And in my own person I am making up whatever is still lacking and remains to be completed '> on our part] of Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of His body, which is the church.

25 D e ella fui hecho ministro, según la administración de Dios que me fue dada para con vosotros, para que anuncie cumplidamente la palabra de Dios,

In it I became a minister in accordance with the divine stewardship which was entrusted to me for you, to make the Word of God fully known —

26 e l misterio que había estado oculto desde los siglos y edades, pero que ahora ha sido manifestado a sus santos.

The mystery of which was hidden for ages and generations '> from angels and men], but is now revealed to His holy people (the saints),

27 A ellos, Dios quiso dar a conocer las riquezas de la gloria de este misterio entre los gentiles, que es Cristo en vosotros, esperanza de gloria.

To whom God was pleased to make known how great for the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ within and among you, the Hope of glory.

28 N osotros anunciamos a Cristo, amonestando a todo hombre y enseñando a todo hombre en toda sabiduría, a fin de presentar perfecto en Cristo Jesús a todo hombre.

Him we preach and proclaim, warning and admonishing everyone and instructing everyone in all wisdom ( comprehensive insight into the ways and purposes of God), that we may present every person mature (full-grown, fully initiated, complete, and perfect) in Christ (the Anointed One).

29 P ara esto también trabajo, luchando según la fuerza de él, la cual actúa poderosamente en mí.

For this I labor '> unto weariness], striving with all the superhuman energy which He so mightily enkindles and works within me.