To Christ's People at Colossae--the Brothers who are faithful to him: May God, our Father, bless you and give you peace.

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);

so that you might live in a manner worthy of the Lord and be fully pleasing to him as you bear fruit while doing all kinds of good things and growing in the full knowledge of God.

It is by him, that we have obtain'd the redemption, even the remission of our sins:

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;

for in him was the universe created, things in heaven and on earth, the seen and the unseen, thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers; by him and for him all have been created;

and HE IS before all, and in him all things subsist.

Also, he is the head of the Body, that is, of the church, in virtue of his primacy as the first to be born from the dead ??that gives him pre-eminence over all.

For in him all the divine fulness chose to dwell;

and by him it chose to reconcile all things alike on earth or in heaven to himself; making peace by him, through the blood of his cross.

So you, who were once estranged from Him, and hostile in disposition as shown by your wrongdoings, He has now reconciled

he has now reconciled by the death of his physical body, so that he may present you holy, blameless, and without fault before him.

In it, by divine appointment, I became a worker, that I might preach among you the message of God in its fulness??26 that secret, hidden from the ages and generations, but now disclosed to those who are consecrated to him,

Him I am ever proclaiming, warning every one and teaching every one, in all wisdom; that I may bring every man into his presence, full grown in Christ.

For which I also labor, striving according to the working of Him who works in me in power.

In Him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge!

For even though I am absent [from you] in body, nevertheless I am with you in spirit, delighted to see your good discipline [as you stand shoulder to shoulder and form a solid front] and to see the stability of your faith in Christ [your steadfast reliance on Him and your unwavering confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness].

As then you have received Jesus Christ, your Lord, in him live your lives;

rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, even as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

For in him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form,

and in him you are made full, who is the head of all principality and power;

In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands; even in putting off your sensual nature in Christ's own circumcision,

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

You were dead through your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh. He made you alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,

He disarmed the principalities and dominions and displayed them openly, triumphing over them through him.

When Christ, your life, is revealed, then you will also be revealed with him in glory.

and the new put on; which is renewed in knowledge, after the image of him that made him:

In him there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, or free person. Instead, the Messiah is all and in all.

Therefore, as God's People, consecrated and dear to him, clothe yourselves with tenderness of heart, kindliness, humility, gentleness, forbearance;

Let the Message of the Christ dwell in your minds in all its wealth, bringing all wisdom with it. Teach and admonish one another with psalms, and hymns, and sacred songs, full of the loving- kindness of God, lifting your hearts in song to him.

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

Servants, in everything obey those who are your masters on earth, not only with external service, as those who merely please people, but with sincerity of heart because of your fear of the Lord.

for you know that it is from him that you are to receive that inheritance which is to be your reward. Think of Christ as the master you are working for.

The man who perpetrates a wrong will find the wrong repaid to him; and with God there are no merely earthly distinctions.

As to what relates to me, you will be inform'd of it by Tychicus my dear brother, who is a faithful minister of the Lord, and serves him with me.

I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that you may know our circumstances 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 fellow prisoner greets you, and Mark, the cousin of Barnabas (concerning whom you received commandments, "if he comes to you, receive him"),

receive him,) And Jesus, called Justus, who are of the circumcision: these are the only fellow-workers unto the kingdom of God, who have been a comfort to me.

For I testify about him, that he has worked hard for you, and for those in Laodicea, and for those in Hierapolis.

And tell Archippus to discharge carefully the duties devolving upon him as a servant of the Lord.

This greeting [is being written] by me, Paul, in my own handwriting. Remember my imprisonment. [Note: This was probably a request for them to pray for him]. May God's favor be with you.