who also brought to our knowledge your love in the Spirit.

Giving praise to the Father who has given us a part in the heritage of the saints in light;

God has rescued us from the power of darkness and has brought us into the kingdom of the Son whom he loves,

And it has brought you, who were once estranged from him, hostile in attitude and engaged in doing wrong (though now he has reconciled you

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and fill up on my part that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church;

he it is that we preach, exhorting, and instructing men in every part of divine knowledge, that they may all be perfectly acquainted with the doctrine of Christ Jesus.

Since you have had the messiah, even Jesus the Lord, brought to you, lead your life in him,

When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh (worldliness, manner of life), God made you alive together with Christ, having [freely] forgiven us all our sins,

having erased the charges that were brought against us, along with their obligations that were hostile to us. He took those charges away when he nailed them to the cross.

Do not allow anyone, who delights in acting humble [i.e., living an ascetic life] and who worships angels, to rob you of your reward [in heaven]. [Note: This "angel worship" could mean holding angels in high regard because of their role as God's messengers, or the claim that God can be approached only through angelic intermediaries]. He places great importance on what he [claims to] see [i.e., visions], being inflated with pride by his fleshly mind for no [good] reason.

He fails to maintain union with the Head, to whom it is due that the whole body, nourished and knit together by the contact and Keynesian of every part, grows with a divine growth.

Masters, [on your part] deal with your slaves justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.

When this letter is read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and you, for your part read my letter that is coming from Laodicea.