We thank the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,

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

on account of the hope laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the true word of the gospel

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

Therefore we also, from the day that we heard, cease not to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding,

being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious power, for all patience and long suffering with joy;

giving thanks to the Father who has made us fit for a portion in the inheritance of the saints in light,

for by him were all things created which are in heaven and on the earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones, or lordships, or principalities, or powers. All things were created through him and for him,

for in him [God] was well pleased that all fullness should dwell,

Now I rejoice in sufferings for you, and supply the deficiencies of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body, which is the church,

of which I was made a minister according to the dispensation of God given me for you, to complete the word of God,

for which I also labor, striving with his power which operates in me with power.

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

For if I am absent in the flesh, still I am present in spirit with you, rejoicing and beholding your order and the strength of your faith in Christ.

for in him dwells all the fullness of the Deity bodily

Which have an appearance of wisdom in voluntary worship and humiliation, and in a rigorous treatment of the body, [which is held] in no respect for the surfeiting of the flesh.

For you have died, and your life is hid with Christ in God;

for which comes the wrath of God.

And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, for which you have been called in one body; and be thankful.

Children, obey [your] parents in all things; for this is well pleasing in the Lord.

And whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men;

for he that does wrong shall receive for the wrong which he has done, and there is no respect of persons.

praying also at the same time for us, that God will open to us a door of utterance to declare the mystery of Christ, for which also I am bound,

whom I have sent to you for this purpose, that he may know your affairs and comfort your hearts,

Aristarchus my fellow-prisoner salutes you, and Mark the nephew of Barnabas,??oncerning whom you received commandments, if he comes to you receive him,??11 and Jesus called Justus, who are of the circumcision; these are the only co-laborers for the kingdom of God who have been a comfort to me.

Epaphras, who is of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, salutes you, always striving for you in prayers that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.

For I bear him witness that he has great zeal for you and for those in Laodicea, and for those in Hierapolis.