-
To God’s holy people in Colossae, the faithful brothers and sisters in Christ: Grace and peace to you from God our Father.
-
because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people—
-
But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation—
-
Paul’s Labor for the Church
Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church.
-
To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
-
He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ.
-
To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me.
-
My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ,
-
For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how disciplined you are and how firm your faith in Christ is.
-
Spiritual Fullness in Christ
So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him,
-
For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form,
-
and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority.
-
In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ,
-
When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins,
-
These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.
-
Living as Those Made Alive in Christ
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
-
For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.
-
When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
-
Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.
-
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.
-
Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.
-
Instructions for Christian Households
Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
-
since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
-
And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains.
-
Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured.
