who is the image of the invisible God, the First-born of all creation.

For all things were created in Him, the things in the heavens, and the things on the earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers, all things were created through Him and for Him.

If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God.

Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender feelings of mercy, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering,

Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

For He has delivered us from the power of darkness and has translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son;

Beware lest anyone rob you through philosophy and vain deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the elements of the world, and not according to Christ.

For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.

And He is the Head of the body, the church, who is the Beginning, the First-born from the dead, that He may be pre-eminent in all things.

which has come to you as it has also in all the world, and it is bearing fruit, even also among you, since the day you heard and fully knew the grace of God in truth,

And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men;

buried with Him in baptism, in whom also you were raised through the faith of the working of God, raising Him from the dead.

whom we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, so that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.

Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness (which is idolatry),

For this cause we also, since the day we heard, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that you might be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding,

Therefore let no one judge you in food or in drink, or in respect of a feast, or of the new moon, or of the sabbaths.

he also having shown your love in the Spirit to us.

And everything, whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him.

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

Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,

And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses,

who now rejoice in my sufferings on your behalf, and I fill up the things lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh, on behalf of His body, which is the church;

Continue in prayer and watch in it with thanksgiving,

Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as is becoming in the Lord.

For to them God would make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the nations, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory,

giving thanks to the Father, who has made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light.

And you, who were once alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which you also are called in one body, and be thankful.

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,

blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and has taken it out of the way, nailing it to the cross.

forbearing one another and forgiving yourselves, if anyone has a complaint against any. As Christ forgave you, so also you do.

in whom we have redemption through His blood, the remission of sins.

Do not lie to one another, having put off the old man with his deeds

in whom also you are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ,

And through Him having made peace through the blood of His cross, it pleased the Father to reconcile all things to Himself through Him, whether the things on earth or the things in Heaven.

For it pleased the Father that in Him all fullness should dwell.

on account of which things' sake the wrath of God is coming on the sons of disobedience,

And I say this that not anyone should beguile you with enticing words.

Having stripped rulers and authorities, He made a show of them publicly, triumphing over them in it.

Be mindful of things above, not on things on the earth.

And He is before all things, and by Him all things consist.

But now also put off all these things: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, shameful speech out of your mouth.

Walk in wisdom toward those on the outside, redeeming the time.

in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

and having put on the new, having been renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him,

that you might walk worthy of the Lord to all pleasing, being fruitful in every work and increasing in the knowledge of God,

Slaves, obey your masters according to the flesh in all things; not with eye-service, as men-pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing God.

Let your speech be always with grace, having been seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.

among whom you also once walked, when you lived in these.

that their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and to all riches of the full assurance of the understanding, to the full knowledge of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;

When Christ our Life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.

where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, foreigner, Scythian, slave or freeman, but Christ is all things in all.

For you died, and your life has been hidden with Christ in God.

to the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colosse. Grace to you, and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

And you are complete in Him, who is the Head of all principality and power,

For though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in the spirit, rejoicing and beholding your order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.

For which I also labor, striving according to the working of Him who works in me in power.

Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow-servant in the Lord, will make known to you all things about me.

I sent him to you for this very purpose, that he might know the things about you, and that he might comfort your hearts,

For I bear him record that he has a great zeal for you and for those who are in Laodicea and those in Hierapolis.

along with Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They shall make known to you all things here.

and greetings from Jesus, who is called Justus, those being of the circumcision. These alone are my fellow-workers for the kingdom of God, who became a comfort to me.

But he who does wrong shall receive justice for the wrong which he did, and there is no respect of persons.

Masters, give to your slaves what is just and equal, knowing that you also have a Master in Heaven.

These things indeed have a reputation of wisdom in self-imposed worship and humility, and unsparing severity of the body, but are not of any value for the satisfying of the flesh.

And when this letter is read before you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans, and that you also read the letter of Laodicea.

knowing that from the Lord you shall receive the reward of the inheritance. For you serve the Lord Christ.

For these are a shadow of things to come, but the body is of Christ.

Greet the brothers who are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church in his house.

And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you fulfill it.

and not holding the Head, from whom all the body, having been supplied through the joints and bands, and having been joined together, will grow with the growth of God.

The salutation of Paul, by my own hand. Remember my bonds. Grace be with you. Amen.

which things are all for corruption in the using, according to the commands and doctrines of men?

that I may make it clear, as I ought to speak.

touch not, taste not, handle not;

Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing to the Lord.

We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,

Let no one defraud you, delighting in humility and worship of the angels, intruding into things which he has not seen, without a cause being vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,

If then you died with Christ from the elements of the world, why, as though living in the world, are you subject to its ordinances:

for the hope which is laid up for you in Heaven, of which you heard before in the Word of the truth of the gospel,

if indeed you continue in the faith grounded and settled, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which you have heard and which was proclaimed in all the creation under Heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister,

And above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfectness.

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

For I want you to know what a great conflict I have for you and those at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh,

Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they be discouraged.

the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints.

being empowered with all power, according to the might of His glory, to all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness,

Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, and Mark, the cousin of Barnabas (regarding whom you received commandments; if he comes to you, receive him),

Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you.

in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy and without blemish, and without charge in His sight,

Epaphras greets you, he being of you, a servant of Christ, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.

of which I became a minister, according to the administration of God given to me for you, to fulfill the Word of God;

praying together about us also, that God may open to us a door of the Word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I also have been bound,

since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love you have to all the saints,

rooted and built up in Him, and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.