Greeting

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s will,^(A) and Timothy^(B) our brother:

² To the saints in Christ at Colossae, who are faithful brothers and sisters.

Grace to you and peace from God our Father.^[a]

Thanksgiving

³ We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, ⁴ for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints ⁵ because of the hope reserved for you in heaven. You have already heard about this hope in the word of truth,^(C) the gospel ⁶ that has come to you. It is bearing fruit^(D) and growing all over the world,^(E) just as it has among you since the day you heard it and came to truly appreciate^(F) God’s grace.^{[b](G) 7} You learned this from Epaphras,^(H) our dearly loved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ^(I) on your^[c] behalf, ⁸ and he has told us about your love in the Spirit.^(J)

Prayer for Spiritual Growth

⁹ For this reason also, since the day we heard this, we haven’t stopped praying for you. We are asking^(K) that you may be filled with the knowledge^(L) of his will^(M) in all wisdom and spiritual understanding,^{[d] 10} so that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work^(N) and growing in the knowledge of God,^{(O) 11} being strengthened^(P) with all power,^(Q) according to his glorious^(R) might, so that you may have great endurance and patience, joyfully ¹² giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you^[e] to share in the saints’ inheritance in the light.^{(S) 13} He has rescued^(T) us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom^(U) of the Son^(V) he loves.^{(W) 14} In him we have redemption,^[f] the forgiveness of sins.

The Centrality of Christ

²¹ Once you were alienated and hostile in your minds as expressed in your evil actions. ²² But now he has reconciled you by his physical body through his death,^(AK) to present you holy, faultless,^(AL) and blameless before him^(AM)— ²³ if indeed you remain grounded and steadfast in the faith^(AN) and are not shifted away from the hope^(AO) of the gospel that you heard. This gospel has been proclaimed in all creation^(AP) under heaven,^(AQ) and I, Paul,^(AR) have become a servant of it.

Paul’s Ministry

²⁴ Now I rejoice in my sufferings^(AS) for you, and I am completing in my flesh what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for his body,^(AT) that is, the church. ²⁵ I have become its servant, according to God’s commission that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, ²⁶ the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. ²⁷ God wanted to make known among the Gentiles the glorious wealth of this mystery, which is Christ^(AU) in you, the hope^(AV) of glory. ²⁸ We proclaim him, warning and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ. ²⁹ I labor for this, striving^(AW) with his strength that works powerfully in me.^(AX)

4 Masters,^(A) deal with your slaves justly and fairly, since you know that you too have a Master in heaven.

Speaking to God and Others

² Devote yourselves^(B) to prayer; stay alert in it with thanksgiving. ³ At the same time, pray also for us that God may open a door^(C) to us for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ,^(D) for which I am in chains,^{(E) 4} so that I may make it known as I should. ⁵ Act wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time.^{(F) 6} Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt,^(G) so that you may know how you should answer each person.^(H)

Final Greetings

⁷ Tychicus,^(I) our dearly loved brother, faithful^(J) minister, and fellow servant in the Lord, will tell you all the news about me. ⁸ I have sent him to you for this very purpose, so that you may know how we are^[a] and so that he may encourage^(K) your hearts.^{(L) 9} He is coming with Onesimus,^(M) a faithful and dearly loved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you about everything here.

¹⁰ Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, sends you greetings, as does Mark,^(N) Barnabas’s^(O) cousin (concerning whom you have received instructions: if he comes to you, welcome him), ¹¹ and so does Jesus who is called Justus. These alone of the circumcised are my coworkers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me. ¹² Epaphras,^(P) who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, sends you greetings. He is always wrestling^(Q) for you in his prayers, so that you can stand mature and fully assured^[b] in everything God wills.^{(R) 13} For I testify about him that he works hard^[c](S) for you, for those in Laodicea,^(T) and for those in Hierapolis. ¹⁴ Luke, the dearly loved physician, and Demas^(U) send you greetings. ¹⁵ Give my greetings to the brothers and sisters in Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her home.^{(V) 16} After this letter has been read at your gathering, have it read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you also read the letter from Laodicea. ¹⁷ And tell Archippus,^(W) “Pay attention to the ministry you have received in the Lord, so that you can accomplish it.”^(X)

¹⁸ I, Paul, am writing this greeting with my own hand. Remember my chains.^(Y) Grace be with you.^[d](Z)