1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, and Timothy our brother,
2 to the holy ones and faithful brothers in Christ that live in Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father.
3 We always pray for you, and thank God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ for you.
4 We have heard about your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love you have for all the holy ones.
5 This is because of the hope reserved for you in heaven. You heard about this hope from the word of truth, the good news.
6 It came to you even as it did. Everywhere in the entire world it bears fruit and it increases in you also, since the day you heard and knew the grace loving-kindness of God in truth.
7 You learned about Epaphras, our beloved fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf.
8 He also declared your love to us in the Spirit.
9 Since the day we heard about you, we have not ceased to pray and make request for you. We pray for you to be filled with the intimate accurate knowledge discernment recognition of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding. (Philippians 1:9) (John 17:3)
10 Walk worthily of God, fully pleasing him. Bear fruit in every good work, and increase in the knowledge Greek: epignosis: full discernment, recognition of God.
11 God will strengthen you with all power, according to the might of his glory, to all patience and longsuffering with joy.
12 Give thanks to the Father, who made us partakers of the inheritance of the holy ones in the light.
13 He rescued us from the power of darkness, and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of his love the Son he dearly loves .
14 We have in him our redemption and the forgiveness of our sins.
15 He is the image likeness representation of the invisible God. He is the firstborn Greek: prototokos: childbirth, offspring of all creation.
16 All things in the heavens and upon the earth where created through him. The things visible and invisible were created through him. Whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been created through him, and for him.
17 He is before all things, and through him all things originate.
18 He is the head of the body, the congregation. He is the beginning commencement , the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence first place .
19 It was the good pleasure of the Father that in him all the fullness should dwell.
20 And all things are reconciled through him. He made peace through the blood of his atonement of the stake . He reconciles all things, whether things upon the earth, or things in heaven.
21 You were in the past alienated and enemies because your minds were on your evil works.
22 But he Christ reconciled you in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and without blemish and without accusation before Him God .
23 Provided that you continue in the faith, grounded on the foundation and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the good news you heard, which was preached in all creation under heaven. For this I,Paul, was made a minister.
24 I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake. I do my share in behalf of his body, the congregation, to provide what is lacking of the afflictions of Christ.
25 God gave me this stewardship to perform for your good. He has made me a servant of the congregation. It is for the task of fully proclaiming the word of God.
26 It is the secret he hid through all past ages from all human beings but has now revealed to his holy ones.
27 It was Gods will to make known his secret to the people of the nations, this rich and glorious secret that he has for people. The secret is that Christ is in union with you, which means that you will share in his glory.
28 We preach Christ to everyone. With all possible wisdom we warn and teach them in order to bring each one to God as a mature individual in union with Christ.
29 I work hard to get this done. I use the mighty strength Christ supplies. It is at work in me.
1 Let me tell you how hard I worked for you, for the people in Laodicea, and for all others who do not personally know me.
2 I do this that they may be filled with courage and be united knit together in love. I have the full assurance that only true understanding brings. In this way they will accurately know Gods secret, which is Christ himself.
3 In him is concealed all the hidden treasures of Gods wisdom and knowledge.
4 I tell you this: Do not let anyone deceive you with false arguments, no matter how good they seem to be.
5 Even though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit mental disposition . I am glad when I see the resolute firmness with which you stand together in your faith in Christ.
6 You have accepted Christ Jesus as Lord. Now walk live in union with him.
7 Keep your roots deep in him! Build your lives on him. Become stronger in your faith, as you were taught, and be filled with thanksgiving.
8 See to it that no one enslaves you by means of philosophy and worthless deceit of human wisdom according to tradition of men. It is according to the elementary principles of the world, and not from Christ.
9 The fullness of divine nature lives in Christs bodily form. Greek: theotes: essence and nature of God Only the Son of God could have divine attributes, the inherited qualities from the Father
10 You are made full complete perfect mature in him. He is the head over all government and authority.
11 You were also circumcised in him with a circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the body of the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ.
12 You have been buried with him in baptism. You were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.
13 You were dead through your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh. He made you alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses.
14 He blotted out the bond written in ordinances. It was against us and was contrary to us. He has taken it out of the way. He nailed it to the stake.
15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities! He made a public display of them triumphing over them.
16 Let no man judge you in food or in drink or in respect of a feast day or a new moon or a Sabbath day.
17 They are a shadow of the things to come; but the substance belongs to Christ.
18 Let no man rob you of your prize by a self-abasement and worshipping of the angels, dwelling in the things that he has seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,
19 not holding fast to the head, from whom all the body, being supplied and knit together through the joints and bands, grows with the growth from God.
20 If you died with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to ordinances:
21 »Do not handle. Do not taste. Do not touch.«
22 These are the precepts and doctrines of men.
23 These have, indeed, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body. But these are not of any value against the indulgence of the flesh.
1 If you have been raised together with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
2 Think about the things that are above, not on the things that are upon the earth.
3 For you died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
4 When Christ, who is our life, will be made known, then you will also be made known with him in glory.
5 Make your members that are upon the earth dead with regard to fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness greed , which is idolatry.
6 Because of such things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.
7 You once walked in these when you lived in them.
8 Now you also put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech out of your mouth.
9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you got rid of the old self with its evil practices.
10 You put on the new self that is being renewed to a true knowledge full discernment according to the image of the one who created him.
11 There is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bondman, freeman; but Christ is all and in all.
12 As Gods chosen, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness humility , meekness mildness , and long-suffering patience .
13 Tolerate endure suffer put up with one another, and forgive each other. If any man has a complaint against anyone, forgive them, even as God forgave you.
14 Above all these things, put on love, which is the bond of perfection and unity.
15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts. You were called in one body for this purpose. You be thankful.
16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you with all wisdom. Teach and admonish one another with psalms, praises to God, and spiritual songs. Sing with gratitude in your hearts to God.
17 Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus. Give thanks to God the Father through him.
18 Wives, be in subjection to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
19 Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them.
20 Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing in the Lord.
21 Fathers, do not provoke your children, that they not be discouraged.
22 Servants, obey your masters according to the flesh in all things, not with eye-service, as men-pleasers, but in singleness of heart, respecting God.
23 Whatever you do, work at it without reservation, as to God, and not to men.
24 You know that God will give you the reward of the inheritance when you serve the Master, Christ.
25 For he who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong that he has done. There is no partiality.
1 Masters, give your servants that which is just and equal. You know that you also have a Master in heaven.
2 Continue steadfastly in prayer, being vigilant with thanksgiving.
3 Pray also for us that God may open to us a door for the word, to speak the secret of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned.
4 Let me make it known, as I ought to speak.
5 Behave with wisdom toward those who are outside, making the most of the time.
6 Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.
7 Tychicus will make known all my affairs to you, the beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord.
8 I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know our situation, and that he may comfort your hearts.
9 He will be with Onesimus, the faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will make known to you all things that are done here.
10 Aristarchus my fellow-prisoner greets you, and Mark, the cousin of Barnabas about whom you received instructions; if he comes to you, receive him ,
11 and Jesus that is called Justus, who are of the circumcision: these only are my fellow-workers for the kingdom of God, men that have been comfort encouragement consolation to me.
12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always striving for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God.
13 I testify for him, that he has worked hard for you, and for them in Laodicea, and for them in Hierapolis.
14 Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas greet you.
15 Greet the brothers who are in Laodicea, and Nympha, and the congregation that is in her house.
16 When this letter has been read among you, make sure it is read also in the congregation of the Laodiceans; and that you also read the letter from Laodicea.
17 Say to Archippus, »Take heed to the ministry you received in the Lord, that you fulfill it.«
18 I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my imprisonment. Grace be with you.