Philippians 4 - Colossians 1

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

4 ¹ Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved.

Exhortations

² I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. ³ Yes, and I ask you also, my loyal companion,^[a] help these women, for they have struggled beside me in the work of the gospel, together with Clement and the rest of my coworkers, whose names are in the book of life.^(A)

⁴ Rejoice^[b] in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.^{[c](B) 5} Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near.^{(C) 6} Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.^{(D) 7} And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.^(E)

⁸ Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about^[d] these things. ⁹ As for the things that you have learned and received and heard and noticed in me, do them, and the God of peace will be with you.^(F)

Acknowledgment of the Philippians’ Gift

¹⁰ I rejoice^[e] in the Lord greatly that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned for me but had no opportunity to show it.^{[f](G) 11} Not that I am referring to being in need, for I have learned to be content with whatever I have.^{(H) 12} I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need.^{(I) 13} I can do all things through him who strengthens me.^{(J) 14} In any case, it was kind of you to share my distress.

¹⁵ You Philippians indeed know that in the early days of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving except you alone.^{(K) 16} For even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me help for my needs more than once. ¹⁷ Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the profit^[g] that accumulates to your account.^{(L) 18} I have been paid in full and have more than enough; I am fully satisfied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God.^{(M) 19} And my God will fully satisfy every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.^{(N) 20} To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.^(O)

Final Greetings and Benediction

²¹ Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brothers and sisters who are with me greet you. ²² All the saints greet you, especially those of the emperor’s household.

²³ The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.^[h]

Salutation

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,

² To the saints and faithful brothers and sisters in Christ in Colossae:

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

Paul Thanks God for the Colossians

³ In our prayers for you we always thank God, the^[j] Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,^{(P) 4} for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints,^{(Q) 5} because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. You have heard of this hope before in the word of the truth, the gospel^{(R) 6} that has come to you. Just as it is bearing fruit and growing in the whole world, so it has been bearing fruit among yourselves from the day you heard it and truly comprehended the grace of God.^{(S) 7} This you learned from Epaphras, our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on our^[k] behalf,^{(T) 8} and he has made known to us your love in the Spirit.

⁹ For this reason, since the day we heard it, we have not ceased praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of God’s^[l] will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,^{(U) 10} so that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, as you bear fruit in every good work and as you grow in the knowledge of God.^{(V) 11} May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, so that you may have all endurance and patience, joyfully^{(W) 12} giving thanks to the Father,^[m] who has enabled^[n] you^[o] to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. ¹³ He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son,^{(X) 14} in whom we have redemption,^[p] the forgiveness of sins.

The Supremacy of Christ

¹⁵ He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation,^{(Y) 16} for in^[q] him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him. ¹⁷ He himself is before all things, and in^[r] him all things hold together. ¹⁸ He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything.^{(Z) 19} For in him all the fullness of God^[s] was pleased to dwell, ²⁰ and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.^(AA)

²¹ And you who were once estranged and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, ²² he has now reconciled^[t] in his fleshly body^[u] through death, so as to present you holy and blameless and irreproachable before him,^{(AB) 23} provided that you continue securely established and steadfast in the faith, without shifting from the hope promised by the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed to every creature^[v] under heaven. I, Paul, became a minister of this gospel.^(AC)

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. ²⁵ I became its minister according to God’s commission that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known,^{(AD) 26} the mystery that has been hidden throughout the ages and generations but has now been revealed to his saints.^{(AE) 27} To them God chose to make known how great among the gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.^{(AF) 28} It is he whom we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone in all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ.^{[w](AG) 29} For this I toil and strive with all the energy that he powerfully inspires within me.^(AH)