Beginning
1 Paul[a], an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, 2 to the saints[b] and faithful brothers in Christ in Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father.
We Thank God For Your Faith And Love
3 We are giving-thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, always while praying for you, 4 having heard-of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which you have for all the saints 5 because of the hope being reserved for you in the heavens, which[c] you previously-heard-of in the word of the truth— the good-news 6 coming to you, just as also in[d] all the world it is bearing-fruit and growing, just as it is doing also in[e] you from which day you heard and understood the grace of God in truth[f], 7 just as you learned it from Epaphras, our beloved fellow-slave who is a faithful servant[g] of Christ on your behalf, 8 the one also having made-clear to us your love in[h] the Spirit.
May You Walk Worthily of God, Who Transferred Us Into The Kingdom of His Son
9 For this reason we also, from which day we heard, do not cease praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge[i] of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding[j], 10 so that you may walk worthily of the Lord, toward total[k] pleasing [of Him]— bearing-fruit in every good work and growing in[l] the knowledge of God; 11 being empowered with all power according-to[m] the might of [n] His glory, toward total[o] endurance and patience; with joy[p] 12 giving-thanks to the Father having qualified you for your part[q] of the share[r] of [s] the saints[t] in the light[u], 13 Who delivered[v] us out of the authority[w] of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of [x] His love, 14 in Whom we have the redemption, the forgiveness of sins—
The Son Is The Preeminent Head of All Creation, Because He Created All Things
15 ... Who is the image[y] of the invisible God, the firstborn[z] of [aa] all creation[ab], 16 because all things were created by[ac] Him in the heavens and on the earth, the visible things and the invisible things— whether thrones or lordships or rulers or authorities. All things have been created through Him and for Him. 17 And He Himself is before all things, and all things have existence[ad] in Him. 18 And He Himself is the head of the body, the church.
The Son Is First In Everything, Because God Reconciled All Things Through Him
... Who is the beginning[ae], the firstborn from the dead, in order that He Himself might come-to-be holding-first-place in all things, 19 because the Father[af] was well-pleased that all the fullness[ag] should dwell in Him 20 and that He should reconcile all things through Him to Himself, having made-peace through the blood of His cross— through Him, whether the things on the earth or the things in the heavens.
Indeed, You Yourselves Were Reconciled By Him
21 Indeed you were formerly being excluded, and were enemies[ah] in the mind in-connection-with evil works. 22 But now He reconciled you in the body of His flesh[ai] through His death, that He might present you holy and without-blemish and blameless in His presence— 23 if indeed[aj] you continue in the faith, having been founded, and steadfast, and not being moved-away from the hope of the good-news which you heard, the one having been proclaimed in[ak] all creation under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister[al].
I Am Suffering To Fulfill My Stewardship of God’s Now Revealed Mystery: Christ In You
24 Now I am rejoicing in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling-up-in-turn[am] the things lacking from the afflictions of Christ[an], for the sake of His body, which is the church, 25 of which I became a minister according-to[ao] the stewardship[ap] of God having been given to me for you, that I might fulfill[aq] the word of God— 26 the mystery having been hidden from the past ages and from the past generations. But now it was revealed to His saints, 27 to whom God willed[ar] to make-known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles— which is Christ in you, the hope of glory, 28 Whom we are proclaiming, admonishing every person, and teaching every person with all wisdom, in order that we may present every person mature[as] in Christ, 29 for which[at] I also am laboring, struggling[au] according to His working being at-work[av] in me with power.
I Am Struggling Greatly For an Increase In Your Assurance And Knowledge of Christ
2 For I want you to know how great a struggle I am having for your sake and the ones in Laodicea, and all-who have not seen my face in the flesh, 2 in order that their hearts might be encouraged— they having been brought-together[aw] in love and for[ax] all the riches of the full-assurance of understanding, for[ay] the full-knowledge of the mystery of God— Christ, 3 in Whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, hidden-away[az]. 4 I am saying this[ba] in order that no one may be deluding you with persuasive-argument. 5 For even though I am absent in the flesh, nevertheless I am with you in the spirit, rejoicing and seeing your order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.
So Be Walking In Christ And Established In The Faith You Were Taught
6 As then you received Christ Jesus the[bb] Lord, be walking in Him— 7 having been rooted, and being built-up in Him, and being established in the[bc] faith just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
Don’t Be Taken Captive By Human Thinking, Because All God’s Fullness Is In Christ
8 Be watching-out that there will not be anyone taking you captive through philosophy and empty deception according-to[bd] the tradition of humans, according to the elemental things[be] of the world, and not according to Christ, 9 because in Him dwells all the fullness of the Deity[bf] bodily[bg].
You Are Complete In Christ, With Whom You Have Been Buried And Raised Up
10 And in Him you are complete[bh], Who is the head of all rule[bi] and authority, 11 in Whom you also were circumcised with a circumcision not-done-by-human-hands, in[bj] the taking-off [bk] of the body[bl] of the flesh in the circumcision of [bm] Christ— 12 having been buried-with Him in baptism, in which[bn] you also were raised-with Him through faith in the working of God, the One having raised Him from the dead.
Indeed, God Made Us Alive With Christ, Having Forgiven All Our Trespasses
13 Indeed, you being dead in the trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh— He made you alive-together with Him, having forgiven us all the trespasses, 14 having wiped-out[bo] the written-document[bp] against us with[bq] its decrees, which was opposed to us. Indeed, He has taken it out of the middle, having nailed it to the cross! 15 Having stripped[br] the rulers and the authorities, He exposed them in public, having celebrated-a-triumph-over[bs] them in Him[bt]!
Let No One Judge Your Behavior By False Standards
16 Therefore let no one judge you in eating and in drinking, or in respect to a feast or new-moon or Sabbath, 17 which are a shadow of the coming things, but the body[bu] is Christ’s. 18 Let no one decide-against you while delighting[bv] in humility[bw] and worship of [bx] angels, dwelling-upon[by] things which he has seen, being puffed-up in-vain by the mind of [bz] his flesh, 19 and not holding-on-to[ca] the head— from Whom the whole body, being supplied[cb] and held-together by the joints and ligaments, is growing the growth of [cc] God.
Since You Died With Christ, Do Not Submit To Human Decrees
20 If you died with Christ from[cd] the elemental[ce] things of the world, why, as-though living in the world, do you submit-to-decrees (21 “Do not handle, nor taste, nor touch”; 22 Things which[cf] are all for[cg] perishing[ch] in the use[ci]!) according-to the commandments and teachings of humans?— 23 which are indeed having the talk[cj] of wisdom in-connection-with will-worship[ck] and humility[cl] and harsh-treatment[cm] of the body, not[cn] in-connection-with any [real] value against the indulgence of the flesh.
Since You Were Raised With Christ, Be Seeking His Things
3 If then you were raised-with Christ, be seeking the things above where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Be thinking[co] the things above, not the things upon the earth. 3 For you died, and your life has been hidden[cp] with Christ in God. 4 When Christ appears— your life— then you also will appear with Him in glory.
Put To Death The Practices of The Old Person And Put On The New Person
5 Therefore, put-to-death your body-part things[cq] on earth— sexual-immorality, impurity, passion[cr], evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry— 6 because of which things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of [cs] disobedience, 7 in which[ct] things you also formerly walked when you were living in these things. 8 But now you also, lay-aside all these things— wrath, anger, malice, blasphemy, filthy-language[cu] from your mouth; 9 do not be lying to one another— having stripped-off the old person with his practices, 10 and having put-on the new person being renewed to knowledge in-accordance-with the image of the One having created him, 11 where there is no Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian[cv], Scythian[cw], slave, free, but Christ is all things and in all persons.
Therefore, Clothe Yourself In Love, Christ’s Peace, God’s Word, And Thankfulness
12 Therefore, as chosen[cx] ones of God, holy and having been loved, put-on[cy] deep-feelings[cz] of compassion, kindness, humblemindedness, gentleness, patience, 13 bearing-with one another, and forgiving each other— if anyone has a complaint against anyone. Just as indeed the Lord forgave you, so also you forgive. 14 And over[da] all these things put on love, which is the bond[db] of [dc] perfection. 15 And let the peace of [dd] Christ be arbitrating[de] in your hearts— into which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ be dwelling in[df] you richly, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing each other with psalms[dg], hymns, spiritual songs; with gratitude[dh] singing with[di] your hearts to God. 17 And everything, whatever thing you may do in word or in deed, do all things in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving-thanks to God the Father through Him.
Behave In a Godly Manner In Your Family
18 Wives, be subject to your husbands, as[dj] it is fitting in the Lord. 19 Husbands, be loving your wives, and do not be bitter toward them. 20 Children, be obeying your parents in all things, for this is pleasing in the Lord. 21 Fathers, do not be provoking your children, in order that they may not be discouraged[dk].
Work As For The Lord, Not For People
22 Slaves, be obeying your masters according-to[dl] the flesh in all things, not with eye-service[dm] as people-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, be working from the soul as for the Lord and not for people, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the payback[dn] of [do] the inheritance. You are serving[dp] the Lord Christ! 25 For the one[dq] doing-wrong will receive-back what he did-wrong, and there is no respect-of-persons. 4 1 Masters, be granting to your slaves the just[dr] thing and equality[ds], knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.
Devote Yourselves To Prayer
2 Be devoting-yourselves to prayer, keeping-watch[dt] in it with thanksgiving, 3 praying at the same time also for us— that God may open to us a door for the word that we may speak the mystery of Christ because of which I also have been bound, 4 that[du] I may make it clear[dv], as I ought-to speak.
Walk With Wisdom And Grace In This World
5 Be walking with wisdom toward the ones outside, redeeming[dw] the time, 6 your speech always being with grace, having been seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought-to answer each one.
Closing Remarks And Greetings
7 All the things concerning me Tychicus will make-known to you, the beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow-slave in the Lord 8 whom I sent to you for this very reason— in order that you may know the things concerning us and he may encourage your hearts— 9 together-with Onesimus[dx], the faithful and beloved brother who is from-among you. They will make all the things here known to you.
10 Aristarchus, my fellow-captive, greets you, and so does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas, concerning whom you received commands (if he comes to you, welcome him), 11 and Jesus, the one being called Justus— the ones being from the circumcision[dy] (these alone are fellow-workers for the kingdom of God, who proved-to-be[dz] a comfort[ea] to me). 12 Epaphras greets you— the one from-among you, a slave of Christ Jesus always struggling[eb] for you in his prayers in-order-that[ec] you might stand mature[ed] and having been fully-assured in all the will of God. 13 For I testify concerning him that he has great pain[ee] for you, and the ones in Laodicea, and the ones in Hierapolis. 14 Luke, the beloved physician, greets you, and Demas.
15 Greet the brothers in Laodicea, and Nymphas and the church at her house. 16 And when this letter is read among you, cause that it also be read in the church of the Laodiceans, and that you also read the letter from Laodicea. 17 And say to Archippus— “See-to the ministry which you received in the Lord, in order that you may be fulfilling it”.
18 The greeting of Paul by my own hand— remember[ef] my imprisonment[eg]. Grace be with you.
Disciples' Literal New Testament: Serving Modern Disciples by More Fully Reflecting the Writing Style of the Ancient Disciples, Copyright © 2011 Michael J. Magill. All Rights Reserved. Published by Reyma Publishing