But now He has reconciled you by His physical body through His death, to present you holy, faultless, and blameless before Him—

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and I am completing in my flesh what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for His body, that is, the church.

the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to His saints.

For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you, for those in Laodicea, and for all who have not seen me in person.

I am saying this so that no one will deceive you with persuasive arguments.

Be careful that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit based on human tradition, based on the elemental forces of the world, and not based on Christ.

Therefore, don’t let anyone judge you in regard to food and drink or in the matter of a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day.

Let no one disqualify you, insisting on ascetic practices and the worship of angels, claiming access to a visionary realm and inflated without cause by his unspiritual mind.

But now you must also put away all the following: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and filthy language from your mouth.

and have put on the new self. You are being renewed in knowledge according to the image of your Creator.

For the wrongdoer will be paid back for whatever wrong he has done, and there is no favoritism.

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Masters, supply your slaves with what is right and fair, since you know that you too have a Master in heaven.

Your speech should always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer each person.

I have sent him to you for this very purpose, so that you may know how we are and so that he may encourage your hearts.