because of the hope laid up for you in the heavens, which ye have heard before in the word of truth, the gospel,

which is come unto you, as it is also unto all the world; and beareth fruit, as also among you, from the day that ye heard and knew the grace of God in truth;

if ye abide in faith grounded and firm, and never moved aside from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which hath been preached to the whole creation which is under heaven, of which I Paul am a minister.

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh the measure of afflictions for Christ which remains to be endured for his body, which is the church,

of which I am a minister, according to the dispensation of God, which was given me for you to fulfil the ministry of the word of God??26 the mystery which was hid from ages and from generations, but is now unveiled to his saints;

to whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

for which also I am labouring, conflicting in the energy of his might, which worketh in me powerfully.

FOR I wish you to know how great a struggle I sustain for you, and those at Laodicea, and as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;

buried with him in baptism, in which also ye have been raised up together with him by faith, the energy of God, who raised him from the dead.

and hath blotted out the handwriting in ordinances that was against us, which was the obstacle to us, and took it from the midst, nailing it to the cross;

which are [merely] shadows of things to come: but the body is Christ's.

Let no man juggle you out of your prize, voluntary in [his] humility and the worship of angels, intruding into things which he never saw, vainly puffed up by his carnal imagination;

and not firmly attached to the head, from which the whole body, by joints and ligaments, harmoniously adjusted and closely compacted, increaseth with increase from God.

(all which things tend to corruption by abuse) according to the injunctions and doctrines of men?

Which things indeed hold forth an appearance of wisdom in will-worship, and humility, and bodily mortification, [though] not of any value, [but] a gratification to the flesh.

IF ye then be risen with Christ, seek the things which are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.

Mortify therefore your members which are on the earth, fornication, impurity, the vile passion, evil concupiscence, and insatiable desire, which is idolatry:

for which things the wrath of God cometh upon the children of disobedience;

in which ye also walked formerly when ye lived among them:

and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge, after the image of him that created him.

But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.

MASTERS, afford to your servants that which is just, and an equivalent, knowing that ye also have a Master in the heavens.

praying also at the same time for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, that I may speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains:

Salute the brethren that are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church which is at his house.

And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received from the Lord, that thou fulfil it.