Colossians 1:20 (KJV)

Passage

And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

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 pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;

Colossians 1:20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

Colossians 1:21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled

Colossians 1:22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:

Study Lenses

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

The nearby context moves from verse 19's "For it pleased the Father that in..." into verse 21's "And you that were sometime alienated and...", so "all things" and "having" 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 "having" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.