I PAUL, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the will of God, I and Timothy my brother,

to the saints and faithful brethren in Christ that are in Colosse: grace be to you, and peace from God our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

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

which is present among you, as it is also in all the world, and is producing fruit, even as it has been doing also among you, since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth,

so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, in order to please him in all things, by means of every good work bringing forth fruit, and increasing in the knowledge, of God,

who is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of every creature;

of which I was made a minister according to the commission from God, which was given to me for you, that I might fully preach the word of God,

to whom God would make known what is the glorious riches of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory,

that their hearts may be comforted, they being firmly united in love in order to gain all the riches of the full assurance of understanding, that they may acknowledge the mystery of God, even the Father, and of Christ,

when you were buried with him in immersion, in which you were also raised with him by your faith in the energy of God, who raised him from the dead.

and not holding the head, from which the whole body gathering vigor, and firmly united by joints and bands, increases with the increase of God.

If, then, you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where the Christ sits at the right hand of God;

for you are dead, and your life is hid with the Christ in God.

on account of these things the wrath of God comes on the children of disobedience,

Put on, therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, a merciful disposition, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering:

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

And 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.

Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eye-service, as pleasing men, but with simplicity of heart, fearing God.

praying at the same time also for us, that God may open for us a door of utterance to speak the mystery of the Christ, for which I am in bonds,

Jesus also, who is called Justus, salutes you: these are of the circumcision: and these only are my fellow-workers for the kingdom of God, who have been a comfort to me.

Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, salutes you; he always strives earnestly for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.