Paul, an Apostle of Jesus Christ, by the purpose of God, and Timothy our brother,

To the saints and true brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father.

We give praise to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, making prayer for you at all times,

Through the hope which is in store for you in heaven; knowledge of which was given to you before in the true word of the good news,

Which has come to you; and which in all the world is giving fruit and increase, as it has done in you from the day when it came to your ears and you had true knowledge of the grace of God;

Living uprightly in the approval of the Lord, giving fruit in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

Who is the image of the unseen God and existed before all living things;

For God in full measure was pleased to be in him;

And you, who in the past were cut off and at war with God in your minds through evil works, he has now made one

If you keep yourselves safely based in the faith, not moved from the hope of the good news which came to you, and which was given to every living being under heaven; of which I, Paul, was made a servant.

Of which I became a servant by the purpose of God which was given to me for you, to give effect to the word of God,

To whom God was pleased to give knowledge of the wealth of the glory of this secret among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

So that their hearts may be comforted, and that being joined together in love, they may come to the full wealth of the certain knowledge of the secret of God, even Christ,

Rooted and based together in him, strong in the faith which the teaching gave you, giving praise to God at all times.

For in him all the wealth of God's being has a living form,

Having been put to death with him in baptism, by which you came to life again with him, through faith in the working of God, who made him come back from the dead.

And not joined to the Head, from whom all the body, being given strength and kept together through its joins and bands, has its growth with the increase of God.

If then you have a new life with Christ, give your attention to the things of heaven, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.

For your life on earth is done, and you have a secret life with Christ in God.

Because of which the wrath of God comes on those who go against his orders;

As saints of God, then, holy and dearly loved, let your behaviour be marked by pity and mercy, kind feeling, a low opinion of yourselves, gentle ways, and a power of undergoing all things;

And let the peace of Christ be ruling in your hearts, as it was the purpose of God for you to be one body; and give praise to God at all times.

Let the word of Christ be in you in all wealth of wisdom; teaching and helping one another with songs of praise and holy words, making melody to God with grace in your hearts.

And whatever you do, in word or in act, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving praise to God the Father through him.

And making prayer for us, that God may give us an open door for the preaching of the word, the secret of Christ, for which I am now in chains;

Be wise in your behaviour to those who are outside, making good use of the time.

And Jesus, whose other name is Justus; these are of the circumcision: they are my only brother-workers for the kingdom of God, who have been a comfort to me.

Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, sends you his love, ever taking thought for you in his prayers, that you may be complete and fully certain of all the purpose of God.