because by him were created all things, the things in the heavens and the things upon the earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones, or lordships, or principalities, or authorities: all things have been created by him and for him.
Colossians 1:14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins;
Colossians 1:15 who is image of the invisible God, firstborn of all creation;
Colossians 1:16 because by him were created all things, the things in the heavens and the things upon the earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones, or lordships, or principalities, or authorities: all things have been created by him and for him.
Colossians 1:17 And *he* is before all, and all things subsist together by him.
Colossians 1:18 And *he* is the head of the body, the assembly; who is [the] beginning, firstborn from among the dead, that *he* might have the first place in all things:
The verse centers on "all things", "created", "heavens", "upon", "earth", and "visible". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "all things" and "created", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.
The nearby context moves from verse 15's "who is image of the invisible God..." into verse 17's "And he is before all and all...", so "all things" and "created" 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 "created" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.