[and is being sent] to the saints [i.e., God's holy people] and faithful brothers in [fellowship with] Christ [who live] at Colosse. May you have unearned favor and peace from God our Father.

for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus [how you lean on Him with absolute confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness], and of the [unselfish] love which you have for all the saints (God’s people);

because of the hope reserved for you in heaven. You have already heard about this hope in the message of truth, the gospel

having come to you, as it is indeed in the whole world bearing fruit and increasing, as also among you, from the day on which you heard and have known the grace of God in truth;

as you have learned from Epaphras our beloved fellow-servant, who is the faithful minister of Christ your behalf,

which also declared unto us your love, which ye have in the spirit.

For this reason, since the day we heard about it, we have not stopped praying for you, asking [specifically] that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom [with insight into His purposes], and in understanding [of spiritual things],

[We also pray that you will be] strengthened with great power, according to God's glorious might, so that you will have great endurance and patience [coupled] with joy.

in whom we have redemption [because of His sacrifice, resulting in] the forgiveness of our sins [and the cancellation of sins’ penalty].

He is the likeness of the unseen God, born first before all the creation ??16 for it was by him that all things were created both in heaven and on earth, both the seen and the unseen, including Thrones, angelic Lords, celestial Powers and Rulers; all things have been created by him and for him;

Because in him all things were created, things in the heavens and things upon the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or lordships or principal offices or positions of authority, all things have been created

He is before all things, and in him all things have being.

And he is the head of the body, the church: the starting point of all things, the first to come again from the dead; so that in all things he might have the chief place.

For God was pleased to have
all His fullness dwell in Him,

but now you have been reconciled by {his physical body} through death, to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him,

If, at least, ye are abiding still in the faith, founded and firm, and not to be moved away from the hope of the glad-message which ye have heard, which hath been proclaimed in all creation which is under heaven, - of which, I Paul, have become minister.

Now I have joy in my pain because of you, and in my flesh I undergo whatever is still needed to make the sorrows of Christ complete, for the salvation of his body, the church;

Of which, I, have become minister - according to the administration of God which hath been given unto me to you-ward, to fill up the word of God,

to whom God does disclose the glorious advantages of this mystery to you Gentiles, to wit, "that by Christ you may have the expectation of glory."

For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those [believers] at Laodicea, and for all who [like yourselves] have never seen me face to face.

[For my hope is] that their hearts may be encouraged as they are knit together in [unselfish] love, so that they may have all the riches that come from the full assurance of understanding [the joy of salvation], resulting in a true [and more intimate] knowledge of the mystery of God, that is, Christ,

Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in [union with] Him [reflecting His character in the things you do and say—living lives that lead others away from sin],

having been deeply rooted [in Him] and now being continually built up in Him and [becoming increasingly more] established in your faith, just as you were taught, and overflowing in it with gratitude.

And ye are men who have been made full in him, who is the head of every principal office and position of authority.

In whom, ye have also been circumcised with a circumcision not done by hand, in the despoiling of the body of flesh, in the circumcision of the Christ, -

Having been buried together with him in your immersion, wherein also ye have been raised together, through your faith in the energising of God - Who raised him from among the dead.

Such things are only a shadow of what is to come and they have only symbolic value; but the substance [the reality of what is foreshadowed] belongs to Christ.

If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were still living in the world, do you submit to rules and regulations, such as,

These practices indeed have the appearance [that popularly passes as that] of wisdom in self-made religion and mock humility and severe treatment of the body (asceticism), but are of no value against sinful indulgence [because they do not honor God].

Therefore if you have been raised with Christ [to a new life, sharing in His resurrection from the dead], keep seeking the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.

have your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are on the earth;

For you died [to this world], and your [new, real] life is hidden with Christ in God.

but now ye have put away all these things, anger, asperity, malice, scandal, obscenity, out of your mouth.

Do not lie to one another, for you have stripped off the old self with its evil practices,

and have put on the new [spiritual] self who is being continually renewed in true knowledge in the image of Him who created the new self—

So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience;

Bearing one with another, and in favour forgiving one another - if any, against any, have a complaint, - according as, the Lord, in favour forgave you, so also ye;

And more than all, have love; the only way in which you may be completely joined together.

And let, the peace of Christ, act as umpire in your hearts, unto which ye have been called in onebody, and be thankful:

Let the [spoken] word of Christ have its home within you [dwelling in your heart and mind—permeating every aspect of your being] as you teach [spiritual things] and admonish and train one another with all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

And whatever you have to say or do, do it all as followers of the Lord Jesus, and offer your thanksgiving to God the Father through him.

Husbands, have love for your wives, and be not bitter against them.

servants, be entirely obedient to those, whom the laws have made your masters, and not meerly out of regard to their observation, as designing only to please men, but from a principle of integrity, as fearing God:

For the wrongdoer will have punishment for the wrong he has done, without respect for any man's position.

Masters, [on your part] deal with your slaves justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.

Praying simultaneously about us also, so that God may open to us a door of the word, to speak the mystery of the Christ, because of which I have also been bound,

in order to make it evident why I have to tell it.

let your talk always have a saving salt of grace about it, and learn how to answer any question put to you.

I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are doing and that he may encourage your hearts;

And with him I have sent Onesimus, the true and well-loved brother, who is one of you. They will give you word of everything which is taking place here.

Aristarchus, my brother-prisoner, sends his love to you, and Mark, a relation of Barnabas (about whom you have been given orders: if he comes to you, be kind to him),

and from Jesus, who is called Justus. These are the only fellow workers for the kingdom of God who are from the circumcision (Jewish Christians), and they have proved to be an encouragement and a comfort to me.

have cordially reliev'd me. Epaphras a servant of Christ, and your countryman, salutes you, who is always very earnest in his prayers, that you may be perfectly acquainted with, and constantly observe,

And when this letter has been made public among you, let the same be done in the church of Laodicea; and see that you have the letter from Laodicea.

And say to Archippus, “See to it that you fulfill [carefully the duties of] the ministry which you have received in the Lord.”

have received from the Lord. I Paul salute you, and this salutation I write with my own hand. remember my bonds. grace be with you. AMEN.