To the saints which are at Colossae, and brethren that believe in Christ. Grace be with you and peace from God our father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

having heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love that is to all the saints,

because of the hope that is laid up for you in the heavens, which ye heard of before in the word of the truth of the good news,

that has come to you. Just as it is bearing fruit and spreading all over the world, so it has been doing among you from the day you heard it and came to know the grace of God in truth.

You got that lesson from our beloved fellow-servant Epaphras, a minister of Christ who is faithful to your interests;

For this cause we also, since the day we heard of it have not ceased praying for you, and desiring that ye might be fulfilled with the knowledge of his will, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding,

that you may walk worthy of the Lord in every kind of pleasing; that you may be fruitful in every kind of good work, and may increase in the knowledge of God;

that you may be strengthened in every kind of strength by the might of his glory for every kind of patience and fortitude with good cheer.

I ask that you may give thanks to the Father who has made us fit to receive our share of the heritage of the saints in the light.

in whom we have redemption through his blood, that is to say, forgiveness of 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 by him were all things created, things that are in heaven, and things that are in earth: things visible, and things invisible: whether they be majesty or lordship, either rule or power.

He is the head of his Body, the Church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, in order that in all things he may become preeminent.

For it pleased the father that in him should all fullness dwell,

and that through Him He might reconcile to Himself all things on earth or in heaven, making this peace through the blood He shed On His cross.

And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled

he has now in his human body reconciled to God by his death, in order that he may bring you into his presence, holy and unblemished and irreproachable.

And this he will do if, indeed, you continue in the faith, firmly founded and stedfast, and never moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, and which has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, that gospel of which I, Paul, was made a minister.

Now joy I in my sufferings which I suffer, for you; and fulfill that which is behind of the passions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the congregation -

In it I have been made a minister in accordance with the trusteeship God entrusted to me for you, that I might prove among you the universal message of God,

that secret truth, which, although hidden from ages and generations of old, has now been made manifest to his saints.

To them God willed to make known among the Gentiles how glorious are the riches of that secret truth, which is "Christ in you, the hope of glory."

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 that end I am ever toiling, wrestling with all that energy of his which is mightily at work within me.

For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;

that their hearts might be comforted and knit together in love, and in all riches of full understanding, for to know the mystery of God the father and of Christ:

and this I say, that no one may beguile you in enticing words,

For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I present with you in the spirit, joying and beholding the order that ye keep, and your steadfast faith in Christ.

Be careful that you do not let anyone rob you through his philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the elements of the world, and not after Christ.

For it is in Christ that all the fullness of deity dwells bodily,

it is in him that you reach your full life, and he is the Head of every angelic Ruler and Power;

In whom also ye are circumcised with circumcision made without hands, by putting off the sinful body of the flesh, through the circumcision that is in Christ,

when you were buried with him in baptism. In baptism also you were raised with him, through your faith in the energy of that God who raised him from the dead.

blotted out the handwriting of ordinances that stood against us and was hostile to us, and took it out of our way, nailing it to his cross.

When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities [those supernatural forces of evil operating against us], He made a public example of them [exhibiting them as captives in His triumphal procession], having triumphed over them through the cross.

which are a shadow of things that were to come; but the body is Christ's.

Let no one who delights in humility and the worship of angels pass judgment on you. That person goes on at great lengths about what he has supposedly seen, but he is puffed up with empty notions by his fleshly mind.

and holdeth not the head: whereof all the body by joints and couples receiveth nourishment, and is knit together, and increaseth with the increasing that cometh of God.

If you died with Christ to the world's rudimentary notions, why, as if you still lived in the world, do you submit yourselves to dogmatisms found on teachings and doctrines of men??21 such as "Do not handle this," "You must not taste that," "Do not touch this"??22 all things which are intended to perish in the using?

"Don't handle this! Don't taste or touch that!"

which refer to things that perish in the using, in accordance with human rules and teachings?

which things have the similitude of wisdom in chosen holiness, and humbleness, and in that they spare not the body - and do the flesh no worship unto his need.

If then you were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God.

Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are on the earth.

Put to death, then, your members that are upon the earth -- whoredom, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and the covetousness, which is idolatry --

It is on account of these very sins that God's anger is coming.

You too used to practice these sins, when you used to live that sort of life.

But now you also must renounce them all. Anger, passion, and ill-will must be put away; slander, too, and foul talk, so that they may never soil your lips.

Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old man with his doings,

and put on that new self which is continually made over according to the likeness of its Creator, into full understanding.

In it that new creation there is no "Greek and Jew," "circumcised and uncircumcised," "barbarian," "Scythian," "slave," "free man," but Christ is all, and in us all.

And over all these qualities put on love, which is the tie of perfection that binds us together.

and the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which peace ye are called in one body: and see that ye be thankful.

And everything that ye do in word or in work, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

You married women must subordinate yourselves to your husbands, for that is your duty as Christians.

Children, obey your fathers and mothers, in all things, for that is well pleasing unto the Lord.

Fathers, do not provoke your children, so that they won't be discouraged.

Servants, obey in all things them that are your masters according to the flesh; not with eye-service, as men-pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing the Lord:

And in every thing that ye do, labour from the soul, as for the Lord, and not man;

knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.

But he who does wrong will receive again for the wrong that he has done, and there is no partiality.

Masters, give to your servants that which is just and equal, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.

praying together for us also, that God may open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds;

that I may reveal it as I ought to speak.

Walk wisely to them that are without, and redeem the time.

Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.

Tychicus will tell you everything that has happened to me. He is a dear brother, a faithful minister, and a fellow servant in the Lord.

I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that you may know our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts,

together with Onesimus, the faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will make known to you everything that is going on here.

So does Jesus who is called Justus. These are the only converts from Judaism that are fellow-workers with me here for the kingdom of God, who have proved a real comfort to me.

Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, salutes you, always striving for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God.

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

Greet the brothers who are in Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church that is in her house.

When this letter has been read among you, cause it to be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that you also read the letter from Laodicea.

Tell Archippus, "Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you fulfill it."

This farewell greeting is in my own hand, from Paul. Remember that I am still a prisoner. Spiritual blessing be with you.