Beginning

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

² To those who are at Colosse, saints and faithful brothers in Christ: Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

³ We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, always praying for you,

⁴ having heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of your love toward all saints,

⁵ because of the hope which is laid up for you in Heaven; of which you have heard before by the Word of Truth, which is the Gospel.

⁶ It has come to you even as it has to all the world and is fruitful, as it was also among you from the day that you heard and truly knew the grace of God;

⁷ as you also learned from Epaphras (our dear fellow servant), who is for you a faithful minister of Christ.

⁸ He has also declared to us your love in the Spirit.

⁹ For this reason, we also (since the day we heard of it) do not cease to pray for you and to desire that you might be fulfilled with knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

¹⁰ so that you might walk worthily of the Lord and please Him in all things, being fruitful in all good works and increasing in the knowledge of God;

¹¹ strengthened with all might through His glorious power, leading to all patience and endurance with joy;

¹² giving thanks to the Father Who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light;

¹³ Who has delivered us from the power of darkness and has transferred us into the Kingdom of His dear Son

¹⁴ (in Whom we have redemption through His blood; that is, the forgiveness of sins).

¹⁵ He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creation.

¹⁶ For by Him were all things created which are in Heaven and which are on Earth—things visible and invisible —whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.

¹⁷ And He is before all things. And in Him all things consist.

¹⁸ And He is the Head of the body of the Church. He is the Beginning; Firstborn from the dead; so that in all things He might have preeminence.

¹⁹ For in Him was all fullness pleased to dwell.

²⁰ And through Him were all things reconciled to Himself, having made peace by the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on Earth or things in Heaven.

²¹ And you also - who were in times past estranged and hostile because your minds were set on evil works - He has now reconciled

²² in the body of His flesh through death; to present you as holy and blameless and beyond reproach in His sight

²³ if you continue to be grounded and established in the faith and are not moved away from the hope of the Gospel which you have heard (having been preached to all creation under Heaven, and to which I, Paul, am a minister).

²⁴ Now, I rejoice in my sufferings for you and fulfill in my flesh the rest of the afflictions of Christ for His body’s sake (which is the Church

²⁵ and whereof I am a minister) according to the dispensation of God which has been given me toward you to fulfill the Word of God;

²⁶ and which is the mystery hidden from all ages and generations and now made visible to his saints;

²⁷ to whom God would make known the riches of His glorious mystery among the Gentiles – which is Christ in you, the hope of Glory;

²⁸ Whom we preach, admonishing everyone, and teaching everyone in all wisdom, that we may present everyone complete in Christ Jesus.

²⁹ Toward this I also toil, striving according to His miraculous power working in me.

2 For I desire that you knew what great struggle I have for you, and for those of Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;

² that their hearts might be encouraged, having been joined together in love and in all the riches of the full assurance of understanding to know the mystery of God and the Father and of Christ,

³ in Whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

⁴ And this I say so that no one should deceive you with persuasive words.

⁵ For though I am absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in spirit, rejoicing and seeing your order and your steadfast faith in Christ.

⁶ Therefore, as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him;

⁷ being rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith as you have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.

⁸ Beware, lest anyone spoil you through philosophy and empty deceit according to the traditions of man, according to the principles of the world and not according to Christ.

⁹ For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead, bodily.

¹⁰ And you are complete in Him Who is the Head of all principality and power.

¹¹ In Him also are you circumcised, with circumcision made without hands, by putting off the sinful body of the flesh through the circumcision of Christ,

¹² buried with Him in baptism (in which you are also risen with Him through the faith of the working of God, Who raised Him from the dead).

¹³ And you, who were dead in sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, forgiving all trespasses

¹⁴ and blotting out the handwriting of the ordinances against us which opposed us. He has taken it out of the way and fastened it upon the cross.

¹⁵ And having disarmed the rulers and authorities, and having made a show of them openly, He has triumphed over them in it.

¹⁶ Therefore, let no one judge you as regards food and drink, or regarding a holy day or the new moon or the Sabbath,

¹⁷ which are a shadow of things to come. But the body is of Christ.

¹⁸ Let no one, at his pleasure, bear rule over you by his humbleness of mind and his worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he has never seen, being rashly puffed up with his fleshly mind

¹⁹ and not taking hold of the Head (from Whom all the body, supplied and knit together by joints and bonds, grows with a growth that is from God).

²⁰ Therefore, if you have died with Christ from the principles of the world, why then (as though you lived in the world) do you submit to ordinances such as:

²¹ “Touch not! Taste not! Handle not!”,

²² which all perish with use and are according to the commandments and doctrines of man?

²³ These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom and of voluntary religion and humbleness of mind and of not sparing the body but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.

3 If you, then, are risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sits at the right hand of God.

² Set your mind on things which are above, not on things which are on the Earth.

³ For you have died, and your life has been hidden with Christ in God.

⁴ When Christ (Who is your life) is revealed, then you shall also be revealed with Him in Glory.

⁵ Therefore, mortify those parts of your body which are of the Earth: fornication, impurity, depraved passions, lust, and covetousness (which is idolatry),

⁶ for the sake of which things the wrath of God is coming on the sons of disobedience;

⁷ and wherein also you once walked when you lived in them.

⁸ But now, however, take all these things out of your mouth also: anger, wrath, malice, slander, foul language.

⁹ Do not lie to one another, having put off the old man with his deeds

¹⁰ and having put on the new (who is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him who created him).

¹¹ There is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but all, and in all, is Christ.

¹² Now, therefore, as the Elect of God, holy and beloved, put on hearts of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,

¹³ bearing with one another and forgiving one another. If anyone has a quarrel with another, even as Christ forgave, so do you.

¹⁴ And above all these things put on love, which is the bond of complete unity.

¹⁵ And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which you were called in one body. And be thankful.

¹⁶ Let the Word of Christ dwell in you abundantly, in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing each other in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with a grace in your hearts to God.

¹⁷ And whatever you shall do, in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

¹⁸ Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as it is fitting in the Lord.

¹⁹ Husbands, love your wives, and do not be embittered toward them.

²⁰ Children, obey your parents in all things, for that is well-pleasing to the Lord.

²¹ Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

²² Servants, in all things, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh; not with eye-service as man-pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing God.

²³ And whatever you do, work from your soul, as to the Lord, and not to man,

²⁴ knowing that you shall receive the reward of the inheritance from the Lord. You serve the Lord Christ.

²⁵ But the one who does wrong shall be repaid for the wrong that he has done. And there is no respect of persons.

4 Masters, do to your servants that which is just and equal, knowing that you also have a master in Heaven.

² Be steadfast in prayer, watching with thanksgiving;

³ praying also for us that God may open a door of utterance to us to speak the mystery of Christ (because of which I am also in bonds);

⁴ that I should make it clear as it behooves me to speak.

⁵ Walk wisely toward those who are outside, rescuing lost time.

⁶ Let your speech always be gracious, having been seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer each one.

⁷ Tychicus, our beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord, shall make known to you my whole state.

⁸ I have sent him to you for the same purpose, so that he might know your state and might comfort your hearts

⁹ with Onesimus, a faithful and a beloved brother, who is one of you. They shall make known to you all things here.

¹⁰ Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, salutes you; and Marcus, Barnabas’ cousin (concerning whom you received the commandment: ‘If he comes to you, receive him.’);

¹¹ and Jesus, who is called Justus. These are my only fellow workers for the Kingdom of God who are of the circumcision. They have been a comfort to me.

¹² Epaphras, the servant of Christ (who is one of you) greets you and always contends for you in prayers - that you may stand perfect and full in all the will of God.

¹³ For I bear witness of him, that he has a great zeal for you and for those of Laodicea and those of Hierapolis.

¹⁴ Luke, the beloved physician, greets you; and Demas.

¹⁵ Greet the brothers who are of Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church which is in his house.

¹⁶ And when this letter is read among you, have it read in the church of the Laodiceans also, and that you likewise read the letter written from Laodicea.

¹⁷ And say to Archippus, ‘Pay attention to the ministry that you have received in the Lord, so that you may fulfill it.’

¹⁸ This greeting is by the hand of me, Paul. Remember my chains. Grace be with you. Amen.

(written from Rome to the Colossians, and sent by Tychicus and Onesimus.)