| 1:2 |
To the saints in Christ at Colossae, who are faithful brothers and sisters. Grace to you and peace from God our Father. |
| 1:5 |
because of the hope reserved for you in heaven. You have already heard about this hope in the messageword of truth, the gospel |
| 1:6 |
that has come to you. It is bearing fruit and growing all over the world, just as it has among you since the day you heard it and recognizedcame to truly appreciate God’s grace in the truth. |
| 1:7 |
You learned this from Epaphras, our dearly loved fellow slaveservant. He is a faithful servantminister of theChrist Messiah on your behalf, |
| 1:9 |
For this reason also, since the day we heard this, we haven’t stopped praying for you. We are asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of Hishis will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, |
| 1:10 |
so that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him,him: bearing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God., |
| 1:11 |
Maybeing you be strengthened with all power, according to Hishis glorious might, forso allthat you may have great endurance and patience, withjoyfully joy |
| 1:13 |
He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son Hehe loves. |
| 1:14 |
WeIn him we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins,. in Him. |
| 1:16 |
For everything was created by Himhim, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities — all things have been created through Himhim and for Himhim. |
| 1:17 |
He is before all things, and by Himhim all things hold together. |
| 1:18 |
He is also the head of the body, the church; Hehe is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that Hehe might come to have first place in everything. |
| 1:19 |
For God was pleased to have all Hishis fullness dwell in Himhim, |
| 1:20 |
and through Himhim to reconcile everything to Himselfhimself, bywhether makingthings peaceon throughearth theor bloodthings ofin Hisheaven, cross—by whethermaking thingspeace onthrough earthhis orblood, thingsshed inon heaventhe cross. |
| 1:21 |
Once you were alienated and hostile in your minds becauseas ofexpressed in your evil actions. |
| 1:22 |
But now Hehe has reconciled you by Hishis physical body through Hishis death, to present you holy, faultless, and blameless before Himhim — |
| 1:24 |
Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and I am completing in my flesh what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for Hishis body, that is, the church. |
| 1:25 |
I have become its servant, according to God’s administrationcommission that was given to me for you, to make the word of God’s message fully known, |
| 1:26 |
the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to Hishis saints. |
| 1:28 |
We proclaim Himhim, warning and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ. |
| 1:29 |
I labor for this, striving with Hishis strength that works powerfully in me. |
| 2:1 |
For I want you to know how greatgreatly aI struggleam Istruggling have for you, for those in Laodicea, and for all who have not seen me in person. |
| 2:2 |
I want their hearts to be encouraged and joined together in love, so that they may have all the riches of assuredcomplete understanding and have the knowledge of God’s mystery — Christ. |
| 2:3 |
AllIn him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. are hidden in Him. |
| 2:4 |
I am saying this so that no one will deceive you with persuasivearguments argumentsthat sound reasonable. |
| 2:6 |
ThereforeSo then, just as you have received Christ Jesus theas Lord, continue to walk in Himhim, |
| 2:7 |
being rooted and built up in Himhim and established in the faith, just as you were taught, and overflowing with gratitude. |
| 2:8 |
Be careful that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit based on human tradition, based on the elementalelements forces of the world, andrather notthan based on Christ. |
| 2:10 |
and you have been filled by Himhim, who is the head over every ruler and authority. |
| 2:11 |
You were also circumcised in Himhim with a circumcision not done with hands, by putting off the body of flesh, in the circumcision of theChrist, Messiah. |
| 2:12 |
Havingwhen beenyou were buried with Himhim in baptism, in which you were also raised with Himhim through faith in the working of God, who raised Himhim from the dead. |
| 2:13 |
And when you were dead in trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, Hehe made you alive with Himhim and forgave us all our trespasses. |
| 2:14 |
He erased the certificate of debt, with its obligations, that was against us and opposed to us, and has taken it outaway of the way by nailing it to the cross. |
| 2:15 |
He disarmed the rulers and authorities and disgraced them publicly; Hehe triumphed over them byin Himhim. |
| 2:17 |
These are a shadow of what was to come; the substance is the MessiahChrist. |
| 2:18 |
Let no one disqualifycondemn you, insistingby ondelighting in ascetic practices and the worship of angels, claiming access to a visionary realm. andSuch inflatedpeople withoutare causeinflated by hisempty notions of their unspiritual mind. |
| 2:19 |
He doesn’t hold on to the head, from whom the whole body, nourished and held together by its ligaments and tendons, developsgrows with growth from God. |
| 2:20 |
If you died with theChrist Messiah to the elementalelements forces of this world, why do you live as if you still belonged to the world? Why do you submit to regulations: |
| 2:22 |
All these regulations refer to what is destroyeddestined to perish by being used up; they are human commands and doctrines of men. |
| 2:23 |
Although these have a reputation offor wisdom by promoting asceticself-made practicesreligion, false humility, and severe treatment of the body, they are not of any value in curbing self-indulgence. |
| 3:1 |
So if you have been raised with the MessiahChrist, seek whatthe isthings above, where theChrist Messiah is, seated at the right hand of God. |
| 3:2 |
Set your minds on whatthings is above, not on whatearthly is on the earththings. |
| 3:3 |
For you have died, and your life is hidden with theChrist Messiah in God. |
| 3:4 |
When the MessiahChrist, who is your life, is revealedappears, then you also will beappear revealed with Himhim in glory. |
| 3:5 |
Therefore, put to death what belongs to your worldlyearthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry. |
| 3:6 |
Because of these, God’s wrath comesis oncoming upon the disobedient, |
| 3:8 |
But now, you must also put away all the following: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and filthy language from your mouth. |
| 3:12 |
Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and dearly loved, put on heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, |
| 3:13 |
acceptingbearing with one another and forgiving one another if anyone has a complaintgrievance against another. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you mustare also to forgive. |
| 3:14 |
Above all, put on love—, which is the perfect bond of unity. |
| 3:15 |
And let the peace of the MessiahChrist, to which you were also called in one body, controlrule your hearts. BeAnd be thankful. |
| 3:16 |
Let the messageword aboutof theChrist Messiah dwell richly among you, in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another inthrough all wisdom, and singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts to God. |
| 3:17 |
And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Himhim. |
| 3:18 |
Wives, besubmit submissiveyourselves to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. |
| 3:21 |
Fathers, do not exasperate your children, so that they won’t become discouraged. |
| 3:22 |
Slaves, obey your human masters in everything. Don’t work only while being watched, inas order to please menpeople-pleasers, but work wholeheartedly, fearing the Lord. |
| 3:23 |
Whatever you do, do it enthusiasticallyfrom the heart, as something done for the Lord and not for menpeople, |
| 4:1 |
Masters, supplydeal with your slaves withjustly what is right and fairfairly, since you know that you too have a Master in heaven. |
| 4:3 |
At the same time, pray also for us that God may open a door to us for the messageword, to speak the mystery of the MessiahChrist, for which I am in prisonchains, |
| 4:4 |
so that I may revealmake it known as I am required to speakshould. |
| 4:6 |
YourLet your speech should always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer each person. |
| 4:7 |
Tychicus, our dearly loved brother, faithful servantminister, and fellow slaveservant in the Lord, will tell you all the news about me. |
| 4:9 |
He is coming with Onesimus, a faithful and dearly loved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you about everything here. |
| 4:10 |
Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, greetssends you greetings, as does Mark, Barnabas’s cousin (concerning whom you have received instructions: if he comes to you, welcome him), |
| 4:11 |
and so does Jesus who is called Justus. These alone of the circumcisioncircumcised are my coworkers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me. |
| 4:12 |
Epaphras, who is one of you, a slaveservant of Christ Jesus, greetssends you greetings. He is always contendingwrestling for you in his prayers, so that you can stand mature and fully assured in everything God wills. |
| 4:14 |
Luke, the dearly loved physician, and Demas greetsend you greetings. |
| 4:15 |
Give my greetings to the brothers and sisters in Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her home. |
| 4:16 |
WhenAfter this letter has been read amongat youyour gathering, have it read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you also read the letter from Laodicea. |
| 4:18 |
ThisI, Paul, am writing this greeting iswith in my own hand—Paul. Remember my imprisonmentchains. Grace be with you. |