Chapter 1
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and his brother Timothy,
2 to the saints who are at Colossae, our faithful brothers in Christ:
3 that grace and peace may they be upon you from God our Father [and the Lord Jesus Christ]!
We continually give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, in our prayers for you,
4 Since we heard of your faith in Jesus Christ and your love for all the saints,
5 in view of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you have heard through the gospel truth.
6 It has come to you, and indeed to the whole world, bearing fruit and gaining ground, just as it has been among you since the day you heard it and knew the grace of God in truth,
7 according to the instructions you received from Epaphras our beloved companion in God's service, and faithful minister of Christ among you;
8 It is he who taught us your purely spiritual charity.
9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to give you the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,
10 to live lives worthy of the Lord and to please him in every way, bearing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God;
11 strengthened in every way by his glorious power, to endure all things with patience and joy; —
12 giving thanks to [God] the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light,
13 by delivering us from the power of darkness, to transfer us into the kingdom of his beloved Son,
14 by whose blood we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
15 He is the image of the invisible God, born before all creation;
16 For in him all things were created, things in heaven and things on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.
17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
18 He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.
19 Car God wanted all fullness to dwell within him;
20 And through him he desired to reconcile to himself all things, things on earth and things in heaven, by doing peace through the blood of his cross.
21 You also, who were once far from him and enemies in your thoughts and in your evil deeds,
22 He has now reconciled you through death of his Son in his physical body, to present you holy before him, without blemish and without reproach,
23 if indeed you continue grounded and steadfast in the faith, and firm in the hope given by the gospel which you heard, which has been preached to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.
24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and I fill up what is lacking in my flesh in regard to the afflictions of Christ for the sake of his body, which is the church.
25 I was appointed a minister for the purpose of the office God gave me among you, to fully proclaim the word of God,
26 the mystery hidden through the centuries and generations past, but now revealed to his saints,
27 to whom God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glory of this mystery which is Christ, in whom you have the hope of glory.
28 It is he whom we proclaim, admonishing all people and teaching them with all wisdom, so that we may make everyone perfect in Christ Jesus.
29 That is why I labor and strive according to the strength he gives me and which works powerfully in me.
Chapter 2
1 I want you to know what struggles I am waging for you and for those in Laodicea, and for all those who have not seen me with their eyes,
2 so that their hearts may be comforted, and being closely united in charitythat they may be enriched with the full conviction of the mind, and know the mystery of God, of Christ,
3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
4 I say this so that no one may deceive you with subtle arguments.
5 For though I am absent in body, I am with you in spirit, glad to see the good order that reigns among you and the firmness of your faith in Christ.
6 Therefore, as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in him,
7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened by the faith, as it was taught to you, and making progress in it, with thanksgiving.
8 Beware lest anyone overwhelm you with philosophy and deceptive teachings, which depend on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.
9 For in him the whole fullness of the deity dwells bodily.
10 In him you have been given fullness, he who is the head of every principality and power.
11 In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands, by the circumcision of Christ, by putting off the body of flesh.
12 Having been buried with him in baptism, you were also raised with him in baptism through your faith in God’s work, who raised him from the dead.
13 You who were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, he made alive with himself, after forgiving us all our trespasses.
14 He destroyed the written document that was written against us and opposed us with its regulations; he took it away, nailing it to the cross;
15 He stripped the principalities and powers and boldly made a spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
16 Therefore let no one condemn you in questions of food and drink, or in respect of a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath:
17 This is only a shadow of the things to come, but the reality is found in Christ.
18 Let no man cause you to lose the palm of the fight, through affectation ofhumility and the worship of angels, while he wanders in things he has not seen, and is puffed up without reason by the thoughts of the flesh,
19 without clinging to the head, from whom the whole body, through its ligaments and joints, is sustained and grows by the growth that God gives it.
20 If you died with Christ to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as though you still lived in the world, do you submit to its regulations?
21 » Don't take it! Don't taste it! Don't touch it?«
22 — All these things are corrupted by the very use to which they are put. — These prohibitions are merely human precepts and teachings.
23 They have some appearance of wisdom with their voluntary worship, their humilityand their contempt for the body, but they are of no real value, and serve only to satisfy the flesh.
Chapter 3
1 Since then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God;
2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things:
3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
5 Therefore, kill your members, members of earthly man, fornication, impurity, lust, all evil desires and greed, which is idolatry:
6 all things which bring God's wrath upon the sons of unbelief,
7 among whom you also once walked, when you lived in these disorders.
8 But now you also must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice; slander and filthy language must be banished from your mouth.
9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old self with its works,
10 and put on the new self, which is constantly being renewed according to perfect knowledge in the image of him who created him.
11 In this renewal there is no longer Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian or Scythian, slave or free; but Christ is all in all.
12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, and mercy.humilityof gentleness, of patience,
13 Bear with one another and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. As the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.
14 But above all, put on yourselves charity, which is the link to perfection.
15 And that peace of Christ, to whom you were called so as to form one body, reign in your hearts; be thankful.
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, so that you may teach and admonish one another in all wisdom, with grace in your hearts pouring out to God in songs, psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.
17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
18 Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
19 Husbands, love your wives and do not be bitter towards them.
20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.
21 Fathers, do not exasperate your children, lest they become discouraged.
22 O servants, obey in everything your earthly masters, not for the sake of appearances and to please men, but with sincerity of heart, in the fear of the Lord.
23 Whatever you do, do it wholeheartedly, as to the Lord, and not to men.,
24 knowing that you will receive from the Lord as a reward the heavenly inheritance. Serve the Lord Jesus-Christ.
25 For he who commits injustice will receive according to his injustice, and there is no partiality.
Chapter 4
1 Masters, render to your servants what justice and equity require, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.
2 Persevere in prayer, being watchful and thankful.
3 Pray at the same time for us, that God may open a door for the word, and that I may thus proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains,
4 and make it known as I must speak about it.
5 Conduct yourselves with prudence towards those outside the church, knowing how to take advantage of circumstances.
6 Let your speech always be kind, seasoned with salt so that you may know how to answer everyone.
7 As for me, Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful minister, my fellow servant in the Lord, will tell you everything.
8 I am sending it to you expressly to let you know our situation, and to encourage your hearts.
9 He is accompanied by Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother who is one of you. They will tell you everything that is happening here.
10 Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, sends you greetings, as does Mark, Barnabas' cousin, about whom you have received instructions. If he comes to you, welcome him.
11 Jesus, also called Justus, greets you. These are the circumcised, and only among those of the circumcision are my fellow workers for the kingdom of God; they have been a comfort to me.
12 Epaphras, who is one of you, greets you. He is a servant of Christ and is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may continue to do all things God’s will with all conviction.
13 For I can testify to him that he is working very hard for you, and for those in Laodicea and Hierapolis.
14 Luke, the beloved physician, sends you greetings, as does Demas.
15 Greet the brothers who are in Laodicea, and Nympha, and the church which meets in her house.
16 When this letter has been read among you, have it read also in the church of Laodicea, and have you in turn read the one that comes to you from Laodicea.
17 Tell Archippus, »Consider the ministry you have received in the Lord, so that you may fulfill it well.«
18 THE GREETING IS IN MY OWN HAND: I, PAUL. REMEMBER MY BONDS.
Grace be with you! [Amen!]
