Paul’s Ministry to the Gentiles

3 This is the reason that I, Paul, am a prisoner for^[a] Christ Jesus^[b] for the sake of you gentiles,

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.

Unity in the Body of Christ

4 I, therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called,^(A)

⁸ Do not be ashamed, then, of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel, in the power of God,^(A)

¹³ so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard^[a] and to everyone else that my imprisonment is for Christ, ¹⁴ and most of the brothers and sisters, having been made confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, dare to speak the word^[b] with greater boldness and without fear.

¹⁵ Some proclaim Christ from envy and rivalry but others from goodwill. ¹⁶ These proclaim Christ out of love, knowing that I have been put here for the defense of the gospel;

²⁰ for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it boldly, as I must speak.^(A)

⁹ yet I would rather appeal to you on the basis of love—and I, Paul, do this as an old man and now also as a prisoner of Christ Jesus.^[a]

⁷ It is right for me to think this way about all of you, because I hold you in my heart,^[a] for all of you are my partners in God’s grace,^[b] both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel.^(A)

Salutation

¹ Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,

To our beloved coworker Philemon,^(A)

¹⁸ So he took him, brought him to the tribune, and said, “The prisoner Paul called me and asked me to bring this young man to you; he has something to tell you.”^(A)