due to the hope which is laid up for you in heaven. You heard of this hope originally in the message of the Truth, in that gospel

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

so that you may lead a life that is worthy of the Lord and give him entire satisfaction. May you be fruitful and increase in the doing of all good, as you thus know God!

In him we enjoy our redemption, that is, the 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;

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 it was in him that the divine Fulness willed to settle without limit,

so as to set you consecrated and unblemished and irreproachable in his presence ??23 that is, if you adhere to the foundations and stability of the faith, instead of moving away from the hope you have learned in the gospel, that gospel which has been preached to every creature under heaven, and of which I Paul was made a minister.

I am suffering now on your behalf, but I rejoice in that; I would make up the full sum of all that Christ has to suffer in my person on behalf of the church, his Body;

for I am a minister of the church by the divine commission which has been granted me in your interests, to make a full presentation of God's message ??26 of that open secret which, though concealed from ages and generations of old, has now been disclosed to the saints of God.

It is His will that they should understand the glorious wealth which this secret holds for the Gentiles, in the fact of Christ's presence among you as your hope of glory.

I labour for that end, striving for it with the divine energy which is a power within me.

May their hearts be encouraged! May they learn the meaning of love! May they have all the wealth of conviction that comes from insight! May they learn to know that open secret of God, the Father of Christ,

It is in Christ that the entire Fulness of deity has settled bodily,

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

in him you have been circumcised with no material circumcision that cuts flesh from the body, but with Christ's own circumcision,

He cancelled the regulations that stood against us ??all these obligations he set aside when he nailed them to the cross,

All that is the mere shadow of what is to be; the substance belongs to Christ.

instead of keeping in touch with that Head under whom the entire Body, supplied with joints and sinews and thus compacted, grows with growth divine.

"Hands off this!" "Taste not that!" "Touch not this!" ??22 referring to things that perish by being used? These rules are determined by human precepts and tenets;

So put to death those members that are on earth: sexual vice, impurity, appetite, evil desire, and lust (which is idolatry),

things that bring down the anger of God on the sons of disobedience.

Also, let the peace of Christ be supreme within your hearts ??that is why you have been called as members of the one Body. And you must be thankful.

Wives, be subject to your husbands; that is your proper duty in the Lord.

and pray for me as well, that God may give me an opening for the word, to speak of the open secret of Christ for which I am in custody.

Pray that I may unfold it as I should.

Tychicus, that beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow-servant in the Lord, will give you all information about me.

The reason why I am sending him to you is that he may ascertain how you are, and encourage your hearts.

He is accompanied by that faithful and beloved brother Onesimus, who is one of yourselves. They will inform you of all that goes on here.

Epaphras, who is one of yourselves, salutes you ??a servant of Christ Jesus who is always earnest in prayer for you, that you may stand firm like mature and convinced Christians, whatever be the will of God for you.

And when this letter has been read to you, see that it is also read in the church of the Laodiceans; also, see that you read the letter that reaches you from Laodicea.

And tell Archippus, 'Attend to the ministry you have received in the Lord; see that you fulfil it.'