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

because of the hope laid up for you in Heaven, of which ye heard before in the word of the truth of the Gospel,

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

For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, cease not praying for you, and asking that ye may be filled with the full knowledge of His will, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding,

giving thanks to the Father, Who made us meet for the portion of the inheritance of the saints in light;

because in Him were all things created, in the heavens, and upon the earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers??ll things have been created through Him, and for Him;

Now I rejoice in my sufferings in your behalf, and fill up in turn the deficiencies of the tribulations of Christ in my flesh for the sake of His body, which is the assembly;

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

For I wish you to know how great a conflict I am having for you, and those in Laodicea, and as many as have not seen my face in flesh;

for even if I am absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the Spirit, rejoicing, and beholding your order, and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.

(which are all for destruction in the using), according to the commandments and teachings of men?

for ye died, and your life has been hid with Christ in God.

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

For he that does wrong shall receive back the wrong which he did; and there is no respect of persons,

at the same time praying for us also, that God may open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ (because of which I have also become bound),

whom I sent to you for this very purpose, that ye may know the things that concern us, and that he may comfort your hearts;

For I bear him witness, that he has much concern in behalf of you, and those in Laodicea, and those in Hierapolis.