TO THE COLOSSIANS
[1] PAUL, apostle of Christ Jesus through God's will, and Timothy the brother, [2] to1 the saints at Colossæ and faithful brethren in Christ: Grace to you and peace from God our Father.
[3] We give thanks to :God the Father of our :Lord Jesus Christ always praying for you, [4] having heard of your :faith in Christ Jesus, and the love which ye have toward all the saints, [5] because of the hope which is laid up for you in the heavens, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel, [6] which is come unto you; even as it is also in all the world bearing fruit and increasing, as in you also, from the day ye heard and knew the grace of :God in truth; [7] even as ye learned from Epaphras our :beloved fellow-bondman, who is a faithful minister of the Christ on our behalf, [8] who also declared to us your :love in Spirit.
[9] For this cause we also, from the day we heard it, do not cease to pray and ask for you, that ye be filled with the knowledge of his :will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, [10] to walk worthily of the Lord unto all pleasing in every good work bearing fruit, and increasing in2 :knowledge of :God; [11] strengthened3 with4 all power, according to the might of his :glory, unto all patience5 and longsuffering with joy; [12] giving thanks to the Father, who made you meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in :light; [13] who delivered us out of the power of :darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his :love; [14] in whom we have the redemption, the forgiveness of :sins: [15] who is the image of the invisible :God, firstborn of all creation; [16] for in him were :all things created, in the heavens and upon the earth, the visible things and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; :all things have been created through him, and unto him; [17] and he is before all, and in him :all things consist.6 [18] And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, firstborn from the dead; that in7 all he might have pre-eminence. [19] For the whole fulness was pleased to dwell in him; [20] and through him to reconcile :all things unto him, having made peace through the blood of his :cross: through him, whether the things upon the earth, or those in the heavens. [21] And you, being alienated before and enemies in your :mind in your :evil :works, [22] yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his :flesh through :death, to present you holy and without blemish and unreprovable before him: [23] if so be that ye continue in the faith, grounded and stedfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel which ye heard :preached in all creation :under the :heaven; whereof I Paul became minister.
[24] Now I rejoice in my :sufferings for your sake, and fill up on my part what are lacking of the afflictions of the Christ in my :flesh for his :body's sake, which is the church; [25] whereof I became minister, according to the dispensation8 of :God :given me you-ward, to fulfil the word of :God, [26] even the mystery :hid from the ages and from the generations: but now hath it been manifested to his :saints, [27] to whom :God was pleased to make known what is the riches of the glory of this :mystery among the nations, which is Christ in you, the hope of :glory: [28] whom we proclaim, admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ; [29] whereunto I toil also, striving according to his :working, which worketh in me with power.
[1] For I would have you know how great a conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my :face in the flesh; [2] that their :hearts be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full1 assurance of :understanding, unto full knowledge of the mystery of :God, Christ,2 [3] in whom are all the treasures of :wisdom and knowledge hidden. [4] This I say that no one delude you with persuasive speech. [5] For though I am absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your :order, and the stedfastness of your :faith unto Christ.
[6] As therefore ye received the Christ, Jesus the Lord, walk in him, [7] rooted and builded up in him, and stablished in3 the faith, even as ye were taught, abounding therein in thanksgiving.
[8] Take4 heed lest there shall be any that maketh spoil of you through his :philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of :men, after the rudiments5 of the world, and not after Christ: [9] for in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily, [10] and in him ye are made full, who is the head of all principality and power: [11] in whom ye were also circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the body of the flesh, in the circumcision of the Christ; [12] having been buried with him in :baptism, wherein ye were also raised with him through the faith of the working of :God, who raised him from the dead. [13] And you, being dead by :trespasses and the uncircumcision of your :flesh, you, did he make alive together with him, having forgiven us all :trespasses; [14] having blotted out the bond against us, written in :ordinances, which was contrary to us: and he hath taken it out of the midst, nailing it to the cross; [15] having6 despoiled the principalities and the powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
[16] Let no one therefore judge you in meat, and in drink, or in respect of a feast day or new moon or sabbaths: [17] which are a shadow of the things to come: but the body is the Christ's. [18] Let no one rob you of your prize by7 voluntary humility and worship of the angels, dwelling8 in what things he hath seen, vainly puffed up by the mind of his :flesh [19] and not holding to the Head, from whom all the body, being supplied and knit together through the joints and bands, increaseth with the increase of :God.
[20] If ye died with Christ from the rudiments5 of the world, why, as though living in the world, do ye submit to ordinances, [21] Handle not, nor taste, nor touch [22] (all which things are to perish with the using), after the precepts and teachings of :men? [23] Which things are such as have indeed a show9 of wisdom in will-worship, and humility, and severity to the body; but are not of any value10 against indulgence of the flesh.
[1] If then ye were raised together with the Christ, seek the things above, where the Christ is, seated on the right hand of :God. [2] Set your mind on the things above, not on those upon the earth. [3] For ye died, and your :life is hid with the Christ in :God. [4] When the Christ, our :life, shall be manifested, then shall ye also with him be manifested in glory.
[5] Put to death therefore the members which are upon the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and :covetousness, which is idolatry; [6] for which things' sake cometh the wrath of :God: [7] wherein1 ye also once walked, when ye lived in these things; [8] but now do ye also put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, railing, shameful speaking out of your :mouth: [9] lie not one to another; seeing that ye have put off the old man with his :doings, [10] and have put on the new, that is being renewed unto knowledge after the image of him that created him: [11] where is no Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bond, free; but Christ is all, and in all.
[12] Put on therefore, as chosen of :God, holy and beloved, bowels of compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, longsuffering; [13] forbearing one another, and forgiving each other, if any one have a complaint against any; even as the Lord forgave you, so also do ye: [14] and above all these things put on :love, which is the bond of perfectness. [15] And let the peace of the Christ arbitrate in your :hearts, to which also ye were called in one body; and be ye thankful. [16] Let the word of the Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing yourselves with psalms, hymns, spiritual songs with grace singing in your :hearts unto :God. [17] And whatsoever ye do, in word or in deed, do all in name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to :God the Father through him.
[18] :Wives, be subject to your :husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. [19] :Husbands, love your :wives and be not bitter against them.
[20] :Children, obey your :parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing in the Lord. [21] :Fathers, provoke not your :children, that they be not discouraged.
[22] :Bondmen, obey in all things your :lords according to the flesh; not with eye-services, as men-pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing the Lord; [23] whatsoever ye do, work from the soul, as to the Lord, and not to men; [24] knowing that from the Lord ye shall receive the recompense of the inheritance: ye are bondmen of the Lord Christ. [25] For who doeth wrong shall receive again the wrong he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.
[1] :Lords, render to your :bondmen what is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a lord in heaven.
[2] Continue stedfastly in :prayer, watching therein with thanksgiving; [3] withal praying for us also, that :God open us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of the Christ, for which I am also in bonds;1 [4] that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak. [5] Walk in wisdom toward those without, redeeming2 the season. [6] Let your :speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer each one.
[7] :All my affairs shall Tychicus make known to you, the beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow-bondman in the Lord: [8] whom I have sent unto you for this very purpose, that ye may know :concerning us, and that he may comfort your :hearts; [9] together with Onēsimus, the faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They shall make known unto you all things that are done here.
[10] Aristarchus my :fellow-prisoner saluteth you, and Mark, the cousin of Barnabas (touching whom ye received commandments; if he come unto you, receive him), [11] and Jesus :called Justus, who are from the circumcision: these only are my fellow-workers unto the kingdom of :God, who have been a comfort to me. [12] Epaphras, who is one of you, bondman of Christ Jesus, saluteth you, always striving for you in his :prayers, that ye may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of :God. [13] For I bear him witness, that he hath much labor for you and those in Laodicea, and those in Hierapolis, [14] Luke, the beloved :physician, and Dēmas salute you. [15] Salute the brethren in Laodicea, and Nympha, and the church in her house. [16] And when the letter hath been read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that ye also read the one from Laodicea. [17] And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it.
[18] The salutation of me Paul with my :hand. Remember my :bonds. :Grace be with you.