to the saints and faithful brethren in Christ who are at Colossae: grace to you and peace from God our Father.

as you learned it from Epaphras, our beloved fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf,

and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.

giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.

in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

For I want you to know how greatly I strive for you, and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not seen my face in the flesh,

in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

and you have been made complete in him, who is the head over all rule and authority.

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

and not holding fast to the head, from whom the whole body, nourished and held together by its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.

When Christ, who is our life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Slaves, in everything obey those who are your masters according to the flesh, not with eye-service, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.

For he who does wrong will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.

and with him Onesimus, the faithful and beloved brother, who is one of yourselves. They will tell you everything that has taken place here.

My fellow prisoner Aristarchus sends you his greetings, and also Mark, the cousin of Barnabas (about whom you have received instructions; if he comes to you, welcome him.)

and also Jesus who is called Justus. These are the only men of the circumcision among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have proved to be a comfort to me.

Epaphras, who is one of your number, a servant of Jesus Christ, sends you his greetings, always laboring earnestly for you in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God.

I testify for him that he has worked hard for you and for those who are in Laodicea and Hierapolis.