| 1:1 |
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, |
| 1:2 |
To the saints and faithful brethrenbrothers and sisters in Christ who are at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father. |
| 1:5 |
because of the hope laidreserved up for you in heaven, of which you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel |
| 1:6 |
which has come to you, just as in all the world also it is constantly bearing fruit and increasing, even as it has been doing in you also since the day you heard of it and understood the grace of God in truth; |
| 1:9 |
For this reason we also, since the day we heard ofabout it, we have not ceased topraying pray for you and toasking ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, |
| 1:11 |
strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastnessperseverance and patience; joyously |
| 1:12 |
giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Lightlight. |
| 1:13 |
For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, |
| 1:15 |
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.: |
| 1:16 |
Forfor by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, or rulers, or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. |
| 1:18 |
He is also the head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. |
| 1:20 |
and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven. |
| 1:21 |
And although you were formerlypreviously alienated and hostile in mindattitude, engaged in evil deeds, |
| 1:22 |
yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body of flesh through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach— |
| 1:23 |
if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not movedshifting away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister. |
| 1:24 |
Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I doam mysupplementing sharewhat onis lacking in Christ’s afflictions in behalf of His body, which is the church, in filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions. |
| 1:25 |
Of this church I was made a minister of this church according to the stewardshipcommission from God bestowedgranted onto me for your benefit, so that I might fully carry out the preaching of the word of God, |
| 1:26 |
that is, the mystery which hashad been hidden from the past ages and generations, but now has now been manifestedrevealed to His saints, |
| 1:27 |
to whom God willed to make known what is the richeswealth of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles is, whichthe mystery that is Christ in you, the hope of glory. |
| 1:28 |
We proclaim Him, admonishing every manperson and teaching every manperson with all wisdom, so that we may present every manperson complete in Christ. |
| 1:29 |
For this purpose I also I labor, striving according to His power, which works mightily works within me. |
| 2:1 |
For I want you to know how great a struggle I have onin your behalf and for those who are at Laodicea, and for all those who have not personally seen my face, |
| 2:2 |
that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attainingthat they would attain to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself, |
| 2:4 |
I say this so that no one will deludedeceive you with persuasive argumentarguments. |
| 2:5 |
For even though I am absent in body, nevertheless I am nevertheless with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your goodorderly disciplinemanner and the stability of your faith in Christ. |
| 2:6 |
Therefore, as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, |
| 2:8 |
See to it that there is no one who takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, accordingin toaccordance thewith human tradition, ofin men,accordance accordingwith to the elementary principles of the world, rather than accordingin toaccordance with Christ. |
| 2:10 |
and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over allevery ruleruler and authority; |
| 2:11 |
and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision madeperformed without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ;, |
| 2:12 |
having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. |
| 2:13 |
WhenAnd when you were dead in your transgressionswrongdoings and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressionswrongdoings, |
| 2:14 |
having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. |
| 2:16 |
Therefore, no one is to act as your judge in regard to food orand drink, or in respect to a festival or a new moon, or a Sabbath day— |
| 2:17 |
things which are only a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ. |
| 2:18 |
LetTake care that no one keepkeeps defrauding you of your prize by delighting in self-abasementhumility and the worship of the angels, taking his stand on visions he has seen, inflated without cause by his fleshly mind, |
| 2:19 |
and not holding fastfirmly to the head, from whom the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ligaments, grows with a growth which is from God. |
| 2:22 |
(which all refer to things destined to perish with use)—in accordance with the commandments and teachings of menman? |
| 2:23 |
These are matters which do have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasementhumility and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence. |
| 3:1 |
Therefore, if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. |
| 3:2 |
Set your mindminds on the things that are above, not on the things that are on earth. |
| 3:3 |
For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. |
| 3:5 |
Therefore, considertreat the membersparts of your earthly body as dead to sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. |
| 3:6 |
For it is because of these things that the wrath of God willis comecoming upon the sons of disobedience, |
| 3:8 |
But now you also, putrid themyourselves of all asideof them: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusiveobscene speech from your mouth. |
| 3:9 |
Do not lie to one another, since you laidstripped asideoff the old self with its evil practices, |
| 3:10 |
and have put on the new self, whowhich is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created himit— |
| 3:11 |
a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, and freemanfree, but Christ is all, and in all. |
| 3:12 |
So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience; |
| 3:13 |
bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so alsomust shouldyou youdo also. |
| 3:14 |
BeyondIn addition to all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. |
| 3:15 |
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were indeed called in one body, rule in your hearts; and be thankful. |
| 3:16 |
Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. |
| 3:17 |
Whatever you do in word or deed, do alleverything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. |
| 3:19 |
Husbands, love your wives and do not bebecome embitteredbitter against them. |
| 3:20 |
Children, beobey obedient to your parents in all thingseverything, for this is well-pleasing to the Lord. |
| 3:21 |
Fathers, do not exasperateantagonize your children, so that they will not losebecome heartdiscouraged. |
| 3:22 |
Slaves, in all things obey those who are your human masters onin eartheverything, not with external eye-service, as those who merely please menpeople-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. |
| 3:23 |
Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord ratherand thannot for menpeople, |
| 3:24 |
knowing that it is from the Lord that you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve. |
| 3:25 |
For hethe one who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and that without partiality. |
| 4:1 |
Masters, grant to your slaves justice and fairness, knowing that you tooalso have a Master in heaven. |
| 4:3 |
praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speakproclaim forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned; |
| 4:4 |
that I may make it clear in the way that I ought to speakproclaim it. |
| 4:5 |
Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. |
| 4:6 |
LetYour your speech must always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person. |
| 4:9 |
and with him is Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of your numberown. They will inform you about the whole situation here. |
| 4:10 |
Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, sends you his greetings; and also Barnabas’s cousin Mark (about whom you received instructions; if he comes to you, welcome him); |
| 4:12 |
Epaphras, who is one of your numberown, a bondslavebond-servant of Christ Jesus Christ, sends you his greetings, always laboringstriving earnestly for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfectmature and fully assured in all the will of God. |
| 4:14 |
Luke, the beloved physician, sends you his greetings, and Demas does also Demas. |
| 4:15 |
Greet the brethrenbrothers and sisters who are in Laodicea and also Nympha and the church that is in her house. |
| 4:16 |
When this letter is read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and you, for your part, read my letter that is coming from Laodicea. |
| 4:17 |
SayTell to Archippus, “TakeSee heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, so that you may fulfill it.” |
| 4:18 |
I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my imprisonment. Grace be with you. |