15 The son is the visible image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation 16 because it was him who created everything in the heavens and on the earth, both visible and invisible, including all authorities such as kingdoms and governments. Yes, everything was created by him and for him. 17 He came before everything and everything still only exists because of him. 18 [ref]He is the head of the body which is the assembly. He is the beginning, the first of the dead to come back to life, so that he would be the first in everything, 19 because God was pleased to live in him in all totality 20 [ref]and to reconcile everything to himself through him—both things on earth and things in the heavens. God made peace through him by means of the blood at the execution stake.

21 Once all of you were alienated from God—your thinking was that of an enemy and your actions were evil, 22 but now you all have been reconciled by means of the death of Yeshua’s physical body. He’s able to present you as pure and blameless in front of God—unable to be charged for any infraction 23 if indeed you continue on in your established and firm faith. Don’t let anyone drive away the hope that comes from the good message that you all heard and which has been proclaimed throughout the whole world—it’s that good message that I’ve become a servant of.