2 For I want you to know how greatly I strive for you and for those in Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face.

²⁹ For this I toil and strive with all the energy that he powerfully inspires within me.^(A)

³⁰ since you are having the same struggle that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.^(A)

¹² Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ,^[a] greets you. He is always striving in his prayers on your behalf, so that you may stand mature and fully assured^[b] in everything that God wills.^{(A) 13} For I testify for him that he has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea and in Hierapolis.

The Message to Laodicea

¹⁴ “And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the origin^[a] of God’s creation:^(A)

¹⁵ “I know your works; you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were either cold or hot. ¹⁶ So, because you are lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I am about to spit you out of my mouth. ¹⁷ For you say, ‘I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing.’ You do not realize that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.^{(B) 18} Therefore I advise you to buy from me gold refined by fire so that you may be rich, and white robes to clothe yourself and to keep the shame of your nakedness from being seen, and salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see.^{(C) 19} I reprove and discipline those whom I love. Be earnest, therefore, and repent.^{(D) 20} Listen! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in and eat with you, and you with me.^{(E) 21} To the one who conquers I will give a place with me on my throne, just as I myself conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.^{(F) 22} Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches.”

¹¹ saying, “Write in a book what you see, and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamum, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.”

Paul’s Interest in the Colossians

²⁴ I am now rejoicing in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am completing what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church.

³⁸ grieving especially because of what he had said, that they would not see him again. Then they brought him to the ship.^(A)

⁸ Although you have not seen^[a] him, you love him, and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy,^(A)

² but though we had already suffered and been shamefully mistreated at Philippi, as you know, we had courage in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in spite of great opposition.^(A)