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====== Paul: Epistle to the Colossians ======

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===== 1:1 =====
 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, and
Timothy our brother, 1:2 to the saints and faithful brothers in Christ
at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord
Jesus Christ.

1:3 We give thanks to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying
always for you, 1:4 having heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of
the love which you have toward all the saints, 1:5 because of the hope
which is laid up for you in the heavens, of which you heard before in
the word of the truth of the Good News, 1:6 which has come to you; even
as it is in all the world and is bearing fruit and growing, as it does
in you also, since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth;
1:7 even as you learned of Epaphras our beloved fellow servant, who is a
faithful servant of Christ on our behalf, 1:8 who also declared to us
your love in the Spirit. 1:9 For this cause, we also, since the day we
heard this, don't cease praying and making requests for you, that you
may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and
understanding, 1:10 that you may walk worthily of the Lord, to please
him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work, and increasing in
the knowledge of God; 1:11 strengthened with all power, according to the
might of his glory, for all endurance and perseverance with joy; 1:12
giving thanks to the Father, who made us fit to be partakers of the
inheritance of the saints in light; 1:13 who delivered us out of the
power of darkness, and translated us into the Kingdom of the Son of his
love; 1:14 in whom we have our redemption,* the forgiveness of our sins;
1:15 who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all
creation. 1:16 For by him all things were created, in the heavens and on
the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or
dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been created
through him, and for him. 1:17 He is before all things, and in him all
things are held together. 1:18 He is the head of the body, the assembly,
who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he
might have the preeminence. 1:19 For all the fullness was pleased to
dwell in him; 1:20 and through him to reconcile all things to himself,
by him, whether things on the earth, or things in the heavens, having
made peace through the blood of his cross.

1:21 You, being in past times alienated and enemies in your mind in your
evil works, 1:22 yet now he has reconciled in the body of his flesh
through death, to present you holy and without blemish and blameless
before him, 1:23 if it is so that you continue in the faith, grounded
and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the Good News which
you heard, which is being proclaimed in all creation under heaven; of
which I, Paul, was made a servant.

1:24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and fill up on my
part that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for
his body's sake, which is the assembly; 1:25 of which I was made a
servant, according to the stewardship of God which was given me toward
you, to fulfill the word of God, 1:26 the mystery which has been hidden
for ages and generations. But now it has been revealed to his saints,
1:27 to whom God was pleased to make known what are the riches of the
glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the
hope of glory; 1:28 whom we proclaim, admonishing every man and teaching
every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ
Jesus; 1:29 for which I also labor, striving according to his working,
which works in me mightily.

===== 2:1 =====
 For I desire to have you know how greatly I struggle for you, and
for those at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the
flesh; 2:2 that their hearts may be comforted, they being knit together
in love, and gaining all riches of the full assurance of understanding,
that they may know the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ,
2:3 in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden. 2:4
Now this I say that no one may delude you with persuasiveness of speech.
2:5 For though I am absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the
spirit, rejoicing and seeing your order, and the steadfastness of your
faith in Christ. 2:6 As therefore you received Christ Jesus, the Lord,
walk in him, 2:7 rooted and built up in him, and established in the
faith, even as you were taught, abounding in it in thanksgiving. 2:8 Be
careful that you don't let anyone rob you through his philosophy and
vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the elements of the
world, and not after Christ. 2:9 For in him all the fullness of the
Godhead dwells bodily, 2:10 and in him you are made full, who is the
head of all principality and power; 2:11 in whom you were also
circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off
of the body of the sins of the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ;
2:12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also
raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from
the dead. 2:13 You were dead through your trespasses and the
uncircumcision of your flesh. He made you alive together with him,
having forgiven us all our trespasses, 2:14 wiping out the handwriting
in ordinances which was against us; and he has taken it out of the way,
nailing it to the cross; 2:15 having stripped the principalities and the
powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

2:16 Let no man therefore judge you in eating, or in drinking, or with
respect to a feast day or a new moon or a Sabbath day, 2:17 which are a
shadow of the things to come; but the body is Christ's. 2:18 Let no one
rob you of your prize by a voluntary humility and worshipping of the
angels, dwelling in the things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up
by his fleshly mind, 2:19 and not holding firmly to the Head, from whom
all the body, being supplied and knit together through the joints and
ligaments, grows with God's growth. 2:20 If you died with Christ from
the elements of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you
subject yourselves to ordinances, 2:21 "Don't handle, nor taste, nor
touch" 2:22 (all of which perish with use), according to the precepts
and doctrines of men? 2:23 Which things indeed appear like wisdom in
self-imposed worship, and humility, and severity to the body; but aren't
of any value against the indulgence of the flesh.

===== 3:1 =====
 If then you were raised together with Christ, seek the things that
are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God. 3:2 Set
your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are on
the earth. 3:3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
3:4 When Christ, our life, is revealed, then you will also be revealed
with him in glory. 3:5 Put to death therefore your members which are on
the earth: sexual immorality, uncleanness, depraved passion, evil
desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry; 3:6 for which things' sake
the wrath of God comes on the children of disobedience. 3:7 You also
once walked in those, when you lived in them; 3:8 but now you also put
them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and shameful speaking out
of your mouth. 3:9 Don't lie to one another, seeing that you have put
off the old man with his doings, 3:10 and have put on the new man, who
is being renewed in knowledge after the image of his Creator, 3:11 where
there can't be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision,
barbarian, Scythian, bondservant, freeman; but Christ is all, and in
all.

3:12 Put on therefore, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, a heart
of compassion, kindness, lowliness, humility, and perseverance; 3:13
bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, if any man has a
complaint against any; even as Christ forgave you, so you also do.

3:14 Above all these things, walk in love, which is the bond of
perfection. 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which
also you were called in one body; and be thankful. 3:16 Let the word of
Christ dwell in you richly; in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one
another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with grace in
your heart to the Lord.

3:17 Whatever you do, in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord
Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father, through him.

3:18 Wives, be in subjection to your husbands, as is fitting in the
Lord.

3:19 Husbands, love your wives, and don't be bitter against them.

3:20 Children, obey your parents in all things, for this pleases the
Lord.

3:21 Fathers, don't provoke your children, so that they won't be
discouraged.

3:22 Servants, obey in all things those who are your masters according
to the flesh, not just when they are looking, as men pleasers, but in
singleness of heart, fearing God. 3:23 And whatever you do, work
heartily, as for the Lord, and not for men, 3:24 knowing that from the
Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the
Lord Christ. 3:25 But he who does wrong will receive again for the wrong
that he has done, and there is no partiality.

===== 4:1 =====
 Masters, give to your servants that which is just and equal, knowing
that you also have a Master in heaven.

4:2 Continue steadfastly in prayer, watching therein with thanksgiving;
4:3 praying together for us also, that God may open to us a door for the
word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds; 4:4
that I may reveal it as I ought to speak. 4:5 Walk in wisdom toward
those who are outside, redeeming the time. 4:6 Let your speech always be
with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to
answer each one.

4:7 All my affairs will be made known to you by Tychicus, the beloved
brother, faithful servant, and fellow bondservant in the Lord. 4:8 I am
sending him to you for this very purpose, that he may know your
circumstances and comfort your hearts, 4:9 together with Onesimus, the
faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will make known to
you everything that is going on here. 4:10 Aristarchus, my fellow
prisoner greets you, and Mark, the cousin of Barnabas (concerning whom
you received commandments, "if he comes to you, receive him"), 4:11 and
Jesus who is called Justus, who are of the circumcision. These are my
only fellow workers for the Kingdom of God, men who have been a comfort
to me.

4:12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, salutes you,
always striving for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and
complete in all the will of God. 4:13 For I testify about him, that he
has great zeal for you, and for those in Laodicea, and for those in
Hierapolis. 4:14 Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas greet you. 4:15
Greet the brothers who are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the assembly
that is in his house. 4:16 When this letter has been read among you,
cause it to be read also in the assembly of the Laodiceans; and that you
also read the letter from Laodicea. 4:17 Tell Archippus, "Take heed to
the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you fulfill it."

4:18 The salutation of me, Paul, with my own hand: remember my bonds.
Grace be with you. Amen.

===== Notes: =====


[1] back to 1:2 The word for "brothers" here and where context allows
may also be correctly translated "brothers and sisters" or "siblings."

[2] back to 1:14 TR adds "through his blood,"