Colossians 1:20 (ASV)

Passage

and through him to reconcile all things unto himself, having made peace through the blood of his cross; through him, [I say], whether things upon the earth, or things in the heavens.

Nearby Context

Colossians 1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

Colossians 1:19 For it was the good pleasure [of the Father] that in him should all the fulness dwell;

Colossians 1:20 and through him to reconcile all things unto himself, having made peace through the blood of his cross; through him, [I say], whether things upon the earth, or things in the heavens.

Colossians 1:21 And you, being in time past alienated and enemies in your mind in your evil works,

Colossians 1:22 yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and without blemish and unreproveable before him:

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "all things", "through", "reconcile", "himself", "having", "peace", and "blood". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "all things" and "through", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 19's "For it was the good pleasure of..." into verse 21's "And you being in time past alienated...", so "all things" and "through" belong inside that flow. In Colossians context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "all things" and "through" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.