5 “‘If anyone sins because they do not speak up when they hear a public charge to testify^(A) regarding something they have seen or learned about, they will be held responsible.^(B)

² “‘If anyone becomes aware that they are guilty—if they unwittingly touch anything ceremonially unclean (whether the carcass of an unclean animal, wild or domestic, or of any unclean creature that moves along the ground)^(C) and they are unaware that they have become unclean,^(D) but then they come to realize their guilt; ³ or if they touch human uncleanness^(E) (anything that would make them unclean)^(F) even though they are unaware of it, but then they learn of it and realize their guilt; ⁴ or if anyone thoughtlessly takes an oath^(G) to do anything, whether good or evil^(H) (in any matter one might carelessly swear about) even though they are unaware of it, but then they learn of it and realize their guilt— ⁵ when anyone becomes aware that they are guilty in any of these matters, they must confess^(I) in what way they have sinned. ⁶ As a penalty for the sin they have committed, they must bring to the Lord a female lamb or goat^(J) from the flock as a sin offering^[a];^(K) and the priest shall make atonement^(L) for them for their sin.

⁷ “‘Anyone who cannot afford^(M) a lamb^(N) is to bring two doves or two young pigeons^(O) to the Lord as a penalty for their sin—one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering. ⁸ They are to bring them to the priest, who shall first offer the one for the sin offering. He is to wring its head from its neck,^(P) not dividing it completely,^{(Q) 9} and is to splash^(R) some of the blood of the sin offering against the side of the altar;^(S) the rest of the blood must be drained out at the base of the altar.^(T) It is a sin offering. ¹⁰ The priest shall then offer the other as a burnt offering in the prescribed way^(U) and make atonement^(V) for them for the sin they have committed, and they will be forgiven.^(W)

¹¹ “‘If, however, they cannot afford^(X) two doves or two young pigeons,^(Y) they are to bring as an offering for their sin a tenth of an ephah^[b](Z) of the finest flour^(AA) for a sin offering. They must not put olive oil or incense on it, because it is a sin offering. ¹² They are to bring it to the priest, who shall take a handful of it as a memorial^[c] portion^(AB) and burn it on the altar^(AC) on top of the food offerings presented to the Lord. It is a sin offering. ¹³ In this way the priest will make atonement^(AD) for them for any of these sins they have committed, and they will be forgiven. The rest of the offering will belong to the priest,^(AE) as in the case of the grain offering.^(AF)’”

The Guilt Offering

¹⁴ The Lord said to Moses: ¹⁵ “When anyone is unfaithful to the Lord by sinning unintentionally^(AG) in regard to any of the Lord’s holy things, they are to bring to the Lord as a penalty^(AH) a ram^(AI) from the flock, one without defect and of the proper value in silver, according to the sanctuary shekel.^[d](AJ) It is a guilt offering.^{(AK) 16} They must make restitution^(AL) for what they have failed to do in regard to the holy things, pay an additional penalty of a fifth of its value^(AM) and give it all to the priest. The priest will make atonement for them with the ram as a guilt offering, and they will be forgiven.

¹⁷ “If anyone sins and does what is forbidden in any of the Lord’s commands, even though they do not know it,^(AN) they are guilty and will be held responsible.^{(AO) 18} They are to bring to the priest as a guilt offering^(AP) a ram from the flock, one without defect and of the proper value. In this way the priest will make atonement for them for the wrong they have committed unintentionally, and they will be forgiven.^{(AQ) 19} It is a guilt offering; they have been guilty of^[e] wrongdoing against the Lord.”^(AR)

6 ^[a]The Lord said to Moses: ² “If anyone sins and is unfaithful to the Lord^(A) by deceiving a neighbor^(B) about something entrusted to them or left in their care^(C) or about something stolen, or if they cheat^(D) their neighbor, ³ or if they find lost property and lie about it,^(E) or if they swear falsely^(F) about any such sin that people may commit— ⁴ when they sin in any of these ways and realize their guilt, they must return^(G) what they have stolen or taken by extortion, or what was entrusted to them, or the lost property they found, ⁵ or whatever it was they swore falsely about. They must make restitution^(H) in full, add a fifth of the value to it and give it all to the owner on the day they present their guilt offering.^{(I) 6} And as a penalty they must bring to the priest, that is, to the Lord, their guilt offering,^(J) a ram from the flock, one without defect and of the proper value.^{(K) 7} In this way the priest will make atonement^(L) for them before the Lord, and they will be forgiven for any of the things they did that made them guilty.”

The Guilt Offering

7 “‘These are the regulations for the guilt offering,^(A) which is most holy: ² The guilt offering is to be slaughtered in the place where the burnt offering is slaughtered, and its blood is to be splashed against the sides of the altar. ³ All its fat^(B) shall be offered: the fat tail and the fat that covers the internal organs, ⁴ both kidneys with the fat on them near the loins, and the long lobe of the liver, which is to be removed with the kidneys.^{(C) 5} The priest shall burn them on the altar^(D) as a food offering presented to the Lord. It is a guilt offering. ⁶ Any male in a priest’s family may eat it,^(E) but it must be eaten in the sanctuary area; it is most holy.^(F)

⁷ “‘The same law applies to both the sin offering^[a](G) and the guilt offering:^(H) They belong to the priest^(I) who makes atonement with them.^{(J) 8} The priest who offers a burnt offering for anyone may keep its hide^(K) for himself. ⁹ Every grain offering baked in an oven^(L) or cooked in a pan^(M) or on a griddle^(N) belongs to the priest who offers it, ¹⁰ and every grain offering, whether mixed with olive oil or dry, belongs equally to all the sons of Aaron.

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

² To God’s holy people in Colossae, the faithful brothers and sisters^[a] in Christ:

Grace^(D) and peace to you from God our Father.^[b](E)

Thanksgiving and Prayer

³ We always thank God,^(F) the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, ⁴ because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love^(G) you have for all God’s people^(H)— ⁵ the faith and love that spring from the hope^(I) stored up for you in heaven^(J) and about which you have already heard in the true message^(K) of the gospel ⁶ that has come to you. In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit^(L) and growing throughout the whole world^(M)—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace. ⁷ You learned it from Epaphras,^(N) our dear fellow servant,^[c] who is a faithful minister^(O) of Christ on our^[d] behalf, ⁸ and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.^(P)

⁹ For this reason, since the day we heard about you,^(Q) we have not stopped praying for you.^(R) We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will^(S) through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,^{[e](T) 10} so that you may live a life worthy^(U) of the Lord and please him^(V) in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,^{(W) 11} being strengthened with all power^(X) according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience,^{(Y) 12} and giving joyful thanks to the Father,^(Z) who has qualified you^[f] to share in the inheritance^(AA) of his holy people in the kingdom of light.^{(AB) 13} For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness^(AC) and brought us into the kingdom^(AD) of the Son he loves,^{(AE) 14} in whom we have redemption,^(AF) the forgiveness of sins.^(AG)

The Supremacy of the Son of God

¹⁵ The Son is the image^(AH) of the invisible God,^(AI) the firstborn^(AJ) over all creation. ¹⁶ For in him all things were created:^(AK) things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities;^(AL) all things have been created through him and for him.^{(AM) 17} He is before all things,^(AN) and in him all things hold together. ¹⁸ And he is the head^(AO) of the body, the church;^(AP) he is the beginning and the firstborn^(AQ) from among the dead,^(AR) so that in everything he might have the supremacy. ¹⁹ For God was pleased^(AS) to have all his fullness^(AT) dwell in him, ²⁰ and through him to reconcile^(AU) to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven,^(AV) by making peace^(AW) through his blood,^(AX) shed on the cross.

²¹ Once you were alienated from God and were enemies^(AY) in your minds^(AZ) because of^[g] your evil behavior. ²² But now he has reconciled^(BA) you by Christ’s physical body^(BB) through death to present you^(BC) holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation^(BD)— ²³ if you continue^(BE) in your faith, established^(BF) and firm, and do not move from the hope^(BG) held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven,^(BH) and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.^(BI)

Paul’s Labor for the Church

²⁴ Now I rejoice^(BJ) in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions,^(BK) for the sake of his body, which is the church.^{(BL) 25} I have become its servant^(BM) by the commission God gave me^(BN) to present to you the word of God^(BO) in its fullness— ²⁶ the mystery^(BP) that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people. ²⁷ To them God has chosen to make known^(BQ) among the Gentiles the glorious riches^(BR) of this mystery, which is Christ in you,^(BS) the hope of glory.

²⁸ He is the one we proclaim, admonishing^(BT) and teaching everyone with all wisdom,^(BU) so that we may present everyone fully mature^(BV) in Christ. ²⁹ To this end I strenuously^(BW) contend^(BX) with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me.^(BY)

2 I want you to know how hard I am contending^(A) for you and for those at Laodicea,^(B) and for all who have not met me personally. ² My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart^(C) and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery^(D) of God, namely, Christ, ³ in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.^{(E) 4} I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments.^{(F) 5} For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit^(G) and delight to see how disciplined^(H) you are and how firm^(I) your faith in Christ^(J) is.

Spiritual Fullness in Christ

⁶ So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord,^(K) continue to live your lives in him, ⁷ rooted^(L) and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught,^(M) and overflowing with thankfulness.

⁸ See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy,^(N) which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces^[a] of this world^(O) rather than on Christ.

⁹ For in Christ all the fullness^(P) of the Deity lives in bodily form, ¹⁰ and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head^(Q) over every power and authority.^{(R) 11} In him you were also circumcised^(S) with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh^[b](T) was put off when you were circumcised by^[c] Christ, ¹² having been buried with him in baptism,^(U) in which you were also raised with him^(V) through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.^(W)

¹³ When you were dead in your sins^(X) and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you^[d] alive^(Y) with Christ. He forgave us all our sins,^{(Z) 14} having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness,^(AA) which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.^{(AB) 15} And having disarmed the powers and authorities,^(AC) he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them^(AD) by the cross.^[e]

Freedom From Human Rules

¹⁶ Therefore do not let anyone judge you^(AE) by what you eat or drink,^(AF) or with regard to a religious festival,^(AG) a New Moon celebration^(AH) or a Sabbath day.^{(AI) 17} These are a shadow of the things that were to come;^(AJ) the reality, however, is found in Christ. ¹⁸ Do not let anyone who delights in false humility^(AK) and the worship of angels disqualify you.^(AL) Such a person also goes into great detail about what they have seen; they are puffed up with idle notions by their unspiritual mind. ¹⁹ They have lost connection with the head,^(AM) from whom the whole body,^(AN) supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow.^(AO)

²⁰ Since you died with Christ^(AP) to the elemental spiritual forces of this world,^(AQ) why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its rules:^{(AR) 21} “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”? ²² These rules, which have to do with things that are all destined to perish^(AS) with use, are based on merely human commands and teachings.^{(AT) 23} Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility^(AU) and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.