From: Paul, an apostle of the Messiah Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother.

To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Your faith and love have arisen from the hope laid up for you in heaven, which you have heard about in the message of truth, the gospel

which are come to you, as they are in all the world, and are bearing fruit and growing, even as also among you, from the day ye heard them and knew indeed the grace of God, in truth:

even as ye learned from Epaphras our beloved fellow-bondman, who is a faithful minister of Christ for you,

For this reason we also, from the day we heard of your faith and love, do not cease praying and asking for you, to the end that ye may be filled with the full knowledge of his will, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding,

Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:

through whom we receive redemption [i.e., are bought back from Satan], which is the forgiveness of [our] sins.

And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

And although you were at one time estranged and alienated and hostile-minded [toward Him], participating in evil things,

In the body of his flesh through death, so that you might be holy and without sin and free from all evil before him:

If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;

I became a servant of the church according to the stewardship from God -- given to me for you -- in order to complete the word of God,

Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:

Because they are united in love, I pray that their hearts may be encouraged by all the riches that come from a complete understanding of the full knowledge of the Messiah, who is the mystery of God.

In Him all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are stored up, hidden from view.

I say this to prevent any one from deceiving you by plausible arguments.

For even though I am absent [from you] in body, nevertheless I am with you in spirit, delighted to see your good discipline [as you stand shoulder to shoulder and form a solid front] and to see the stability of your faith in Christ [your steadfast reliance on Him and your unwavering confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness].

rooted and built up in him and firm in your faith just as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

For in Him all the fullness of Deity (the Godhead) dwells in bodily form [completely expressing the divine essence of God].

in him you have been circumcised with no material circumcision that cuts flesh from the body, but with Christ's own circumcision,

Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.

having blotted out the handwriting which was against us in ordinances, which was antagonistical to us: and took it out from the midst, having nailed it to the cross;

And the hostile princes and rulers He shook off from Himself, and boldly displayed them as His conquests, when by the Cross He triumphed over them.

Let no man take your reward from you by consciously making little of himself and giving worship to angels; having his thoughts fixed on the things which he has seen, being foolishly lifted up in his natural mind,

And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.

Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,

Therefore if you have been raised with Christ [to a new life, sharing in His resurrection from the dead], keep seeking the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.

Therefore put to death your earthward inclinations--fornication, impurity, sensual passion, unholy desire, and all greed, for that is a form of idolatry.

But now rid yourselves [completely] of all these things: anger, rage, malice, slander, and obscene (abusive, filthy, vulgar) language from your mouth.

Let the peace of Christ [the inner calm of one who walks daily with Him] be the controlling factor in your hearts [deciding and settling questions that arise]. To this peace indeed you were called as members in one body [of believers]. And be thankful [to God always].

Fathers, stop exasperating your children, so as to keep them from losing heart.

servants, be entirely obedient to those, whom the laws have made your masters, and not meerly out of regard to their observation, as designing only to please men, but from a principle of integrity, as fearing God:

Whatever you do [whatever your task may be], work from the soul [that is, put in your very best effort], as [something done] for the Lord and not for men,

knowing that from the Lord ye shall receive the recompense of the inheritance: ye serve the Lord Christ.

Together with Onesimus, the faithful and beloved brother, who is from among you: - all things, unto you, will they make known, that are taking place here.

and from Jesus, who is called Justus. These are the only fellow workers for the kingdom of God who are from the circumcision (Jewish Christians), and they have proved to be an encouragement and a comfort to me.

Epaphras, who is one of you and a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, sends you greetings. [He is] always striving for you in his prayers, praying with genuine concern, [pleading] that you may [as people of character and courage] stand firm, [spiritually mature] and fully assured in all the will of God.

And when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that ye likewise read the epistle from Laodicea.

Tell Archippus, "See that you complete the ministry you have received from the Lord."

The salutation by the hand of me, Paul. Remember my bonds. Grace be with you, Amen. {Sent from Rome by Tychicus and Onesimus.}