[and is being sent] to the saints [i.e., God's holy people] and faithful brothers in [fellowship with] Christ [who live] at Colosse. May you have unearned favor and peace from God our Father.

Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints,

because of the hope reserved for you in heaven, which you have heard about beforehand in the word of truth, the gospel,

having come to you, as it is indeed in the whole world bearing fruit and increasing, as also among you, from the day on which you heard and have known the grace of God in truth;

as you have learned from Epaphras our beloved fellow-servant, who is the faithful minister of Christ your behalf,

which also declared unto us your love, which ye have in the spirit.

For this reason, since the day we heard about it, we have not stopped praying for you, asking [specifically] that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom [with insight into His purposes], and in understanding [of spiritual things],

[We also pray that you will be] strengthened with great power, according to God's glorious might, so that you will have great endurance and patience [coupled] with joy.

In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

He is the likeness of the unseen God, born first before all the creation ??16 for it was by him that all things were created both in heaven and on earth, both the seen and the unseen, including Thrones, angelic Lords, celestial Powers and Rulers; all things have been created by him and for him;

for in him were all things created, in the heavens and upon the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been created through him, and unto him;

and himself is before all, and the all things in him have consisted.

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.

For God was pleased to have
all His fullness dwell in Him,

but now you have been reconciled by {his physical body} through death, to present you holy and blameless and above reproach 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;

Now I have joy in my pain because of you, and in my flesh I undergo whatever is still needed to make the sorrows of Christ complete, for the salvation of his body, the church;

I have become its servant, according to God’s administration that was given to me for you, to make God’s message fully known,

to whom God does disclose the glorious advantages of this mystery to you Gentiles, to wit, "that by Christ you may have the expectation of glory."

For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;

[For my hope is] that their hearts may be encouraged as they are knit together in [unselfish] love, so that they may have all the riches that come from the full assurance of understanding [the joy of salvation], resulting in a true [and more intimate] knowledge of the mystery of God, that is, Christ,

As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:

Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.

and you have been filled by Him, who is the head over every ruler and authority.

in whom also ye have been circumcised with circumcision not done by hand, in the putting off of the body of the flesh, in the circumcision of the Christ;

buried with him in baptism, in which ye have been also raised with him through faith of the working of God who raised him from among the dead.

Such things are only a shadow of what is to come and they have only symbolic value; but the substance [the reality of what is foreshadowed] belongs to Christ.

If ye have died with Christ from the elements of the world, why as if alive in the world do ye subject yourselves to ordinances?

Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.

If therefore ye have been raised with the Christ, seek the things which are above, where the Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God:

have your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are on the earth;

for ye have died, and your life is hid with the Christ in God.

but now ye have put away all these things, anger, asperity, malice, scandal, obscenity, out of your mouth.

Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;

And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience;

Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

and above all these things, have love, which is a bond of the perfection,

And let the peace of Christ preside in your hearts, to which also ye have been called in one body, and be thankful.

Let the [spoken] word of Christ have its home within you [dwelling in your heart and mind—permeating every aspect of your being] as you teach [spiritual things] and admonish and train one another with all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

And whatever you have to say or do, do it all as followers of the Lord Jesus, and offer your thanksgiving to God the Father through him.

Husbands, have love for your wives, and be not bitter against them.

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:

For the wrongdoer will have punishment for the wrong he has done, without respect for any man's position.

Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven.

praying at the same time also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to speak the secret of the Christ, because of which also I have been bound,

in order to make it evident why I have to tell it.

let your talk always have a saving salt of grace about it, and learn how to answer any question put to you.

Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that he might know your estate, and comfort your hearts;

And with him I have sent Onesimus, the true and well-loved brother, who is one of you. They will give you word of everything which is taking place here.

Aristarchus my fellow-captive salutes you, and Mark, Barnabas's cousin, concerning whom ye have received orders, (if he come to you, receive him,)

And Jesus, which is called Justus, who are of the circumcision. These only are my fellowworkers unto the kingdom of God, which have been a comfort unto me.

have cordially reliev'd me. Epaphras a servant of Christ, and your countryman, salutes you, who is always very earnest in his prayers, that you may be perfectly acquainted with, and constantly observe,

When this letter has been read among you, have it read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you also read the letter from Laodicea.

And say to Archippus, “See to it that you fulfill [carefully the duties of] the ministry which you have received in the Lord.”

have received from the Lord. I Paul salute you, and this salutation I write with my own hand. remember my bonds. grace be with you. AMEN.