because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Long ago you heard of this hope in the message which came to you of the truth of the gospel.

Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth:

and really came to know it, in the form in which Epaphras, my dear fellow-slave, taught it to you. He is my faithful representative as a servant of Christ,

He is also the head of the body, the church;
He is the beginning,
the firstborn from the dead,
so that He might come to have
first place in everything.

If you keep yourselves safely based in the faith, not moved from the hope of the good news which came to you, and which was given to every living being under heaven; of which I, Paul, was made a servant.

[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,

Beware lest any man come and spoil you through philosophy and deceitful vanity, through the traditions of men, and ordinances after the world, and not after Christ.

And in Him you have been made complete [achieving spiritual stature through Christ], and He is the head over all rule and authority [of every angelic and earthly power].

Having been put to death with him in baptism, by which you came to life again with him, through faith in the working of God, who made him come back from the dead.

Let none therefore judge you in meat, or drink, or in respect of a feast-day, or of the new-moon, or of sabbath-days: Which are shadow of things to come;

Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

(Rules which are all to come to an end with their use) after the orders and teaching of men?

For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience,

Aristarchus my fellowprisoner saluteth you, and Marcus, sister's son to Barnabas, (touching whom ye received commandments: if he come unto you, receive him;)