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

To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ that are at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father.

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

having heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have toward all the saints,

even as ye learned of Epaphras our beloved fellow-servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf,

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;

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

whom we proclaim, admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ;

that their hearts may be comforted, they being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, that they may know the mystery of God, even Christ,

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

As therefore ye received Christ Jesus the Lord,'so walk in him,

Take heed lest there shall be any one that maketh spoil of you through his philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ:

in whom ye were also circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the body of the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ;

which are a shadow of the things to come; but the body is Christ's.

If ye died with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, do ye subject yourselves to ordinances,

If then ye were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God.

For ye died, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

When Christ, who is our life, shall be manifested, then shall ye also with him be manifested in glory.

where there cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bondman, freeman; but Christ is all, and in all.

And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to the which also ye were called in one body; and be ye thankful.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and'spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts unto God.

knowing that from the Lord ye shall receive the recompense of the inheritance: ye serve the Lord Christ.

withal praying for us also, that God may open unto us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds;

Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, saluteth you, always striving for you in his prayers, that ye may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God.