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

to the saints and faithful brethren in Christ who are at Colossae: grace to you and peace from God our Father.

We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you,

which has come to you, just as in all the world it is bearing fruit and growing, even as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth;

so that you will live a life worthy of the Lord, to please him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.

For all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell in him

Of this church I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known,

To them God willed 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.

that their hearts may be encouraged as they are knit together in love, to have all the riches of assured understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, that is, Christ himself,

For even though I am absent in flesh, nevertheless I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.

having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.

When you were dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive together with him, having forgiven us all our sins,

and not holding fast to the head, from whom the whole body, nourished and held together by its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.

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

For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.

So, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience;

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

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

And pray for us as well, that God may open a door to us for the word, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains,

and also Jesus who is called Justus. These are the only men of the circumcision among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have proved to be a comfort to me.

Epaphras, who is one of your number, a servant of Jesus Christ, sends you his greetings, always laboring earnestly for you in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God.