Colossians 1:21-4:10

English Standard Version

^21 (A)And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, ^(B)doing evil deeds, ²² he has now reconciled ^(C)in his body of flesh by his death, ^(D)in order to present you holy and blameless and ^(E)above reproach before him, ^23 (F)if indeed you continue in the faith, ^(G)stable and steadfast, not shifting from ^(H)the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed ^(I)in all creation^[a] under heaven, ^(J)and of which I, Paul, became a minister.

Paul's Ministry to the Church

²⁴ Now ^(K)I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh ^(L)I am filling up ^(M)what is lacking in Christ's afflictions ^(N)for the sake of his body, that is, the church, ^25 (O)of which I became a minister according to ^(P)the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, ^26 (Q)the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. ^27 (R)To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are ^(S)the riches of the glory of ^(T)this mystery, which is Christ in you, ^(U)the hope of glory. ²⁸ Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that ^(V)we may present everyone ^(W)mature in Christ. ²⁹ For this ^(X)I toil, ^(Y)struggling ^(Z)with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.

2 For I want you to know ^(AA)how great a ^(AB)struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, ² that ^(AC)their hearts may be encouraged, being ^(AD)knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of ^(AE)God's mystery, which is Christ, ^3 (AF)in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. ⁴ I say this in order ^(AG)that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. ⁵ For ^(AH)though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your ^(AI)good order and ^(AJ)the firmness of your faith in Christ.

Alive in Christ

^6 (AK)Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, ^7 (AL)rooted and ^(AM)built up in him and ^(AN)established in the faith, just ^(AO)as you were taught, abounding ^(AP)in thanksgiving.

⁸ See to it that no one takes you captive by ^(AQ)philosophy and ^(AR)empty deceit, according to ^(AS)human tradition, according to the ^(AT)elemental spirits^[b] of the world, and not according to Christ. ⁹ For ^(AU)in him the whole fullness of deity dwells ^(AV)bodily, ¹⁰ and ^(AW)you have been filled in him, who is ^(AX)the head of all rule and authority. ¹¹ In him also ^(AY)you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by ^(AZ)putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, ^12 (BA)having been buried with him in baptism, in which ^(BB)you were also raised with him through faith in ^(BC)the powerful working of God, ^(BD)who raised him from the dead. ^13 (BE)And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God ^(BF)made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, ¹⁴ by ^(BG)canceling ^(BH)the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. ^15 (BI)He disarmed the rulers and authorities^[c] and ^(BJ)put them to open shame, by ^(BK)triumphing over them in him.^[d]

Let No One Disqualify You

¹⁶ Therefore let no one ^(BL)pass judgment on you ^(BM)in questions of food and drink, or with regard to ^(BN)a festival or ^(BO)a new moon or a Sabbath. ^17 (BP)These are a shadow of the things to come, but ^(BQ)the substance belongs to Christ. ¹⁸ Let no one ^(BR)disqualify you, ^(BS)insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, ^(BT)going on in detail about visions,^{[e] (BU)}puffed up without reason by ^(BV)his sensuous mind, ¹⁹ and ^(BW)not ^(BX)holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.

²⁰ If with Christ ^(BY)you died to the ^(BZ)elemental spirits of the world, ^(CA)why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— ^21 (CB)“Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” ²² (^(CC)referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to ^(CD)human precepts and teachings? ²³ These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in ^(CE)promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are ^(CF)of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.

Put On the New Self

3 ^(CG)If then you have been raised with Christ, seek ^(CH)the things that are above, where Christ is, ^(CI)seated at the right hand of God. ^2 (CJ)Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. ³ For ^(CK)you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. ⁴ When Christ ^(CL)who is your^[f] life ^(CM)appears, then you also will appear with him ^(CN)in glory.

^5 (CO)Put to death therefore ^(CP)what is earthly in you:^{[g] (CQ)}sexual immorality, impurity, ^(CR)passion, evil desire, and covetousness, ^(CS)which is idolatry. ^6 (CT)On account of these the wrath of God is coming.^{[h] 7 (CU)}In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. ⁸ But now ^(CV)you must put them all away: ^(CW)anger, wrath, malice, ^(CX)slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. ^9 (CY)Do not lie to one another, seeing that ^(CZ)you have put off ^(DA)the old self^[i] with its practices ¹⁰ and ^(DB)have put on ^(DC)the new self, ^(DD)which is being renewed in knowledge ^(DE)after the image of ^(DF)its creator. ^11 (DG)Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave,^[j] free; but Christ is ^(DH)all, and in all.

^12 (DI)Put on then, as ^(DJ)God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, ^(DK)compassionate hearts, ^(DL)kindness, ^(DM)humility, meekness, and patience, ^13 (DN)bearing with one another and, ^(DO)if one has a complaint against another, ^(DP)forgiving each other; ^(DQ)as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. ¹⁴ And above all these put on ^(DR)love, which ^(DS)binds everything together in ^(DT)perfect harmony. ¹⁵ And let ^(DU)the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called ^(DV)in one body. And ^(DW)be thankful. ¹⁶ Let ^(DX)the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, ^(DY)singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, ^(DZ)with thankfulness in your hearts to God. ¹⁷ And ^(EA)whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, ^(EB)giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Rules for Christian Households

^18 (EC)Wives, submit to your husbands, as ^(ED)is fitting in the Lord. ¹⁹ Husbands, love your wives, and ^(EE)do not be harsh with them. ²⁰ Children, obey your parents ^(EF)in everything, for this pleases the Lord. ²¹ Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged. ²² Bondservants, obey ^(EG)in everything those who are your earthly masters,^[k] not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. ^23 (EH)Whatever you do, work heartily, ^(EI)as for the Lord and not for men, ²⁴ knowing that from the Lord ^(EJ)you will receive the inheritance as your reward. ^(EK)You are serving the Lord Christ. ²⁵ For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.

4 Masters, treat your bondservants^[l] justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.

Further Instructions

^2 (EL)Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it ^(EM)with thanksgiving. ³ At the same time, pray also for us, that God may ^(EN)open to us a door for the word, ^(EO)to declare the mystery of Christ, ^(EP)on account of which I am in prison— ⁴ that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.

^5 (EQ)Walk in wisdom toward ^(ER)outsiders, making the best use of the time. ⁶ Let your speech always ^(ES)be gracious, ^(ET)seasoned with salt, ^(EU)so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.

Final Greetings

⁷ Tychicus will tell you ^(EV)all about my activities. He is a beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow servant^[m] in the Lord. ⁸ I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are and that he may encourage your hearts, ⁹ and with him ^(EW)Onesimus, our faithful and ^(EX)beloved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you of everything that has taken place here.

^10 (EY)Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, and Mark ^(EZ)the cousin of Barnabas (concerning whom you have received instructions—^(FA)if he comes to you, welcome him),