Thankfulness for Spiritual Attainments

1 ^(A)Paul, ^(B)an apostle of Christ Jesus ^[a](C)by the will of God, and ^(D)Timothy ^[b]our brother,

² To the ^[c](E)saints and faithful brothers and sisters in Christ who are at Colossae: ^(F)Grace to you and peace from God our Father.

^3 (G)We ^[d]give thanks to God, ^(H)the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, ^4 (I)since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the ^(J)love which you have ^[e]for ^(K)all the ^[f]saints; ⁵ because of the ^(L)hope ^(M)reserved for you in ^[g]heaven, of which you previously ^(N)heard in the word of truth, ^[h]the gospel ⁶ which has come to you, just as ^[i](O)in all the world also it is bearing ^(P)fruit and ^[j]increasing, even as it has been doing in you also since the day you ^(Q)heard it and ^[k]understood the grace of God in truth; ⁷ just as you learned it from ^(R)Epaphras, our ^(S)beloved fellow bond-servant, who is a faithful servant of Christ on our behalf, ⁸ and he also informed us of your ^(T)love in the Spirit.

⁹ For this reason we also, ^(U)since the day we heard about it, ^(V)have not ceased praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the ^[l](W)knowledge of His will in all spiritual ^(X)wisdom and understanding, ¹⁰ so that you will ^(Y)walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, ^[m](Z)to please Him in all respects, ^(AA)bearing fruit in every good work and ^[n]increasing in the ^[o]knowledge of God; ^11 (AB)strengthened with all power, according to ^[p]His glorious might, ^[q]for the attaining of all perseverance and ^[r]patience; ^(AC)joyously ¹² giving thanks to ^(AD)the Father, who has qualified us ^[s]to share in ^(AE)the inheritance of the ^[t]saints in ^(AF)light.

The Incomparable Christ

^13 [u]For He rescued us from the ^[v](AG)domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of ^[w](AH)His beloved Son, ^14 (AI)in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

^15 [x]He is the ^(AJ)image of the ^(AK)invisible God, the ^(AL)firstborn of all creation: ¹⁶ for ^[y](AM)by Him all things were created, ^(AN)both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether ^(AO)thrones, or dominions, or rulers, or authorities—^(AP)all things have been created through Him and for Him. ¹⁷ He ^[z](AQ)is before all things, and in Him all things ^[aa]hold together. ¹⁸ He is also the ^(AR)head of ^(AS)the body, the church; and He is ^(AT)the beginning, ^(AU)the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. ¹⁹ For ^[ab]it was ^(AV)the Father’s good pleasure for all ^(AW)the ^[ac]fullness to dwell in Him, ²⁰ and through Him to ^(AX)reconcile all things to Himself, ^(AY)whether things on earth or things in ^[ad]heaven, having made ^(AZ)peace through ^(BA)the blood of His cross.

²¹ And although you were ^(BB)previously alienated and hostile in attitude, engaged in evil deeds, ²² yet He has now ^(BC)reconciled you in His ^(BD)body of flesh through death, in order to ^(BE)present you before Him ^(BF)holy and blameless and beyond reproach— ²³ if indeed you continue in ^[ae]the faith firmly ^(BG)established and steadfast, and not shifting from the ^(BH)hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed ^(BI)in all creation under heaven, ^(BJ)and of which I, Paul, ^[af]was made a ^[ag](BK)minister.

^24 (BL)Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh ^(BM)I am supplementing what is lacking ^[ah]in Christ’s afflictions in behalf of ^(BN)His body, which is the church. ^25 (BO)I ^[ai]was made a minister of this church according to the ^(BP)commission from God granted to me for your benefit, so that I might ^[aj]fully carry out the preaching of the word of God, ²⁶ that is, ^(BQ)the mystery which had been hidden from the past ages and generations, but now has been revealed to His ^[ak]saints, ²⁷ to whom ^(BR)God willed to make known what ^(BS)the wealth of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles is, the mystery that is ^(BT)Christ in you, the ^(BU)hope of glory. ²⁸ We proclaim Him, ^(BV)admonishing every person and teaching every person ^[al]with all ^(BW)wisdom, so that we may ^(BX)present every person ^[am](BY)complete in Christ. ²⁹ For this purpose I also ^(BZ)labor, ^(CA)striving ^(CB)according to His ^[an]power which ^[ao]works mightily within me.

Put On the New Self

3 Therefore, if you have been ^(A)raised with Christ, keep seeking the things that are above, where Christ is, ^(B)seated at the right hand of God. ^2 [a](C)Set your minds on the things that are above, not on the things that are on earth. ³ For you have ^(D)died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. ⁴ When Christ, ^(E)who is our life, is revealed, ^(F)then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.

^5 (G)Therefore, ^[b]treat ^(H)the parts of your earthly body as dead to ^(I)sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which ^[c]amounts to idolatry. ⁶ For it is because of these things that ^(J)the wrath of God is coming ^[d]upon the ^[e]sons of disobedience, ⁷ and ^(K)in them you also once walked, when you were living ^[f]in them. ⁸ But now you also, ^(L)rid yourselves of all of them: ^(M)anger, wrath, malice, slander, and ^(N)obscene speech from your mouth. ^9 [g](O)Do not lie to one another, since you ^(P)stripped off the old ^[h]self with its evil practices, ¹⁰ and have ^(Q)put on the new self, which is being ^[i](R)renewed to a true knowledge ^(S)according to the image of the One who ^(T)created it— ¹¹ a renewal in which ^(U)there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, ^(V)circumcised and uncircumcised, ^[j](W)barbarian, ^[k]Scythian, ^(X)slave, and free, but ^(Y)Christ is all, and in all.

¹² So, as those who have been ^(Z)chosen of God, holy and beloved, ^(AA)put on a ^(AB)heart of compassion, kindness, ^(AC)humility, gentleness, and ^[l](AD)patience; ^13 (AE)bearing with one another, and ^(AF)forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; ^(AG)just as the Lord forgave you, so must you do also. ¹⁴ In addition to all these things put on love, which is ^[m](AH)the perfect bond of ^(AI)unity. ¹⁵ Let ^(AJ)the peace of Christ, to which you were ^[n]indeed called in ^(AK)one body, ^[o]rule in your hearts; and ^[p]be thankful. ¹⁶ Let ^(AL)the word of ^[q]Christ richly dwell within you, ^[r]with all wisdom ^(AM)teaching and admonishing ^[s]one another ^(AN)with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, ^(AO)singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. ^17 (AP)Whatever you do in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, ^(AQ)giving thanks through Him to God the Father.

Family Relations

^18 (AR)Wives, ^(AS)be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. ^19 (AT)Husbands, love your wives and do not become bitter against them. ^20 (AU)Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is pleasing ^[t]to the Lord. ^21 (AV)Fathers, do not ^[u]antagonize your children, so that they will not become discouraged.

^22 [v](AW)Slaves, obey those who are your ^[w]human masters in everything, ^(AX)not with ^[x]eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. ²³ Whatever you do, do your work ^[y]heartily, ^(AY)as for the Lord and not for people, ^24 (AZ)knowing that it is from the Lord that you will receive the reward ^[z]of ^(BA)the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you ^(BB)serve. ²⁵ For ^(BC)the one who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and ^[aa](BD)that without partiality.

Be like Christ

2 Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any ^(A)fellowship of the Spirit, if any ^[a](B)affection and compassion, ^2 (C)make my joy complete ^[b]by ^(D)being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. ³ Do nothing ^[c]from ^[d](E)selfishness or ^(F)empty conceit, but with humility ^(G)consider one another as more important than yourselves; ^4 (H)do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. ^5 (I)Have this attitude ^[e]in yourselves which was also in ^(J)Christ Jesus, ⁶ who, as He already ^(K)existed in the ^(L)form of God, ^(M)did not consider equality with God something to be ^[f]grasped, ⁷ but ^[g](N)emptied Himself by taking the form of a ^(O)bond-servant and ^[h](P)being born in the likeness of men. ⁸ And being found in appearance as a man, ^(Q)He humbled Himself by becoming ^(R)obedient to the point of death: ^(S)death ^[i]on a cross. ^9 (T)For this reason also God ^(U)highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him ^(V)the name which is above every name, ¹⁰ so that at the name of Jesus ^(W)every knee will bow, of ^(X)those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹ and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is ^(Y)Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

¹² So then, my beloved, ^(Z)just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own ^(AA)salvation with ^(AB)fear and trembling; ¹³ for it is ^(AC)God who is at work in you, both to ^[j]desire and to work ^(AD)for His good pleasure.

¹⁴ Do all things without ^(AE)complaining or arguments; ¹⁵ so that you will ^[k]prove yourselves to be ^(AF)blameless and innocent, ^(AG)children of God above reproach in the midst of a ^(AH)crooked and perverse generation, among whom you ^[l](AI)appear as ^[m]lights in the world, ¹⁶ holding firmly the word of life, so that on ^(AJ)the day of Christ I can take pride because I did not ^(AK)run in vain nor ^(AL)labor in vain. ¹⁷ But even if I am being ^(AM)poured out as a drink offering upon ^(AN)the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all. ¹⁸ You too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me.

Timothy and Epaphroditus

¹⁹ But I hope, ^[n]in the Lord Jesus, to ^(AO)send ^(AP)Timothy to you shortly, so that I also may be encouraged when I learn of your condition. ²⁰ For I have no one else ^(AQ)of kindred spirit who will genuinely be concerned for your welfare. ²¹ For they all ^(AR)seek after their own interests, not those of Christ Jesus. ²² But you know ^(AS)of his proven character, that ^(AT)he served with me in the furtherance of the gospel ^(AU)like a child serving his father. ^23 (AV)Therefore I hope to send him immediately, as soon as I see how things go with me; ²⁴ and ^(AW)I trust in the Lord that I myself will also be coming shortly. ²⁵ But I thought it necessary to send to you ^(AX)Epaphroditus, my brother and ^(AY)fellow worker and ^(AZ)fellow soldier, who is also your ^[o](BA)messenger and ^(BB)minister to my need, ²⁶ because he was longing ^[p]for you all and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick. ²⁷ For indeed he was sick to the point of death, but God had mercy on him, and not only on him but also on me, so that I would not have sorrow upon sorrow. ²⁸ Therefore I have sent him all the more eagerly, so that when you see him again you may rejoice and I may be less concerned about you. ^29 (BC)Receive him then in the Lord with all joy, and ^(BD)hold people like him in high regard, ³⁰ because he came close to death ^[q](BE)for the work of Christ, risking his life to ^(BF)compensate ^[r]for your absence in your service to me.

Think of Excellence

4 Therefore, my beloved brothers and sisters, ^[a]whom I ^(A)long to see, my joy and crown, ^(B)stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved.

² I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to ^[b](C)live in harmony in the Lord. ³ Indeed, true ^[c]companion, I ask you also, help these women who have shared my struggle in the cause of the gospel, together with Clement as well as the rest of my ^(D)fellow workers, whose ^(E)names are in the book of life.

^4 (F)Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! ⁵ Let your gentle spirit be known to all people. ^(G)The Lord is ^[d]near. ^6 (H)Do not ^[e]be anxious about anything, but in everything by ^(I)prayer and pleading with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷ And ^(J)the peace of God, which surpasses all ^[f]comprehension, will ^(K)guard your hearts and ^(L)minds in ^(M)Christ Jesus.

⁸ Finally, brothers and sisters, ^(N)whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is ^[g]lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, think about these things. ⁹ As for the things you have learned and received and heard and seen ^(O)in me, practice these things, and ^(P)the God of peace will be with you.

God’s Provisions

¹⁰ But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last ^(Q)you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned before, but you lacked an opportunity to act. ¹¹ Not that I speak ^[h]from need, for I have learned to be ^[i](R)content in whatever circumstances I am. ¹² I know how to get along with little, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going ^(S)hungry, both of having abundance and ^(T)suffering need. ¹³ I can do all things ^[j]through Him who ^(U)strengthens me. ¹⁴ Nevertheless, you have done well to ^(V)share with me in my difficulty.

¹⁵ You yourselves also know, Philippians, that at the ^[k](W)first preaching of the gospel, after I left ^(X)Macedonia, no church ^(Y)shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving except you alone; ¹⁶ for even in ^(Z)Thessalonica you sent a gift more than once for my needs. ^17 (AA)Not that I seek the gift itself, but I seek the ^[l]profit which increases to your account. ¹⁸ But I have received everything in full and have an abundance; I am ^[m]amply supplied, having received from ^(AB)Epaphroditus ^[n]what you have sent, ^[o](AC)a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. ¹⁹ And ^(AD)my God will supply ^[p]all your needs according to His ^(AE)riches in glory in Christ Jesus. ²⁰ Now to ^(AF)our God and Father ^(AG)be the glory ^[q]forever and ever. Amen.

²¹ Greet every ^[r]saint in Christ Jesus. ^(AH)The brothers who are with me greet you. ^22 (AI)All the ^[s](AJ)saints greet you, especially those of Caesar’s household.

^23 (AK)The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ ^(AL)be with your spirit.