But to each one of us was given the grace [which he hath] according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.

(Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?

He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)

And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

we are to hold by the truth, and by our love to grow up wholly into Him. For He, Christ, is the head, and under him,

But that is not how you learned about the Messiah,

if you have heard of him, and have been taught the truth as he preach'd it:

You have learned to lay aside, with your former manner of living, the old self who was on his way to ruin, as he followed the desires which deceive;

Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

Let no corrupt communication go forth out of your mouth, but if anything is good unto edification of need, in order that he may give grace to those who hear.

For be sure of this: no immoral, impure, or greedy person—for that one is [in effect] an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God [for such a person places a higher value on something other than God].

Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.

Look therefore carefully how ye walk, not as unwise, but as wise;

For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.

(and he is the Saviour of the body) Therefore as the church is subject to Christ, so also let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.

That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.

For never yet has a man hated his own body. On the contrary he feeds and cherishes it, just as Christ feeds and cherishes the Church;

Yet I insist that among you also, each man is to love his own wife as much as he loves himself, and let a married woman see to it that she treats her husband with respect.

Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.

And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, and forbear threatening: knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no respect of persons with him.

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

But that ye also may know my affairs, and how I do, Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, shall make known to you all things:

Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that ye might know our affairs, and that he might comfort your hearts.

Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

It is only natural for me to be thinking of you all in this way, for alike in my prison and as I defend and vindicate the gospel, I bear in mind how you all share with me in the grace divine.

For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ.

And I pray that your love may grow stronger and stronger, [along] with how much you know, and [that you may grow] in your ability to comprehend things.

Although from the beginning He had the nature of God He did not reckon His equality with God a treasure to be tightly grasped.

but emptied Himself [without renouncing or diminishing His deity, but only temporarily giving up the outward expression of divine equality and His rightful dignity] by assuming the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men [He became completely human but was without sin, being fully God and fully man].

And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

For this reason also [because He obeyed and so completely humbled Himself], God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name,

But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus to you shortly, that I also may be refreshed, knowing how ye get on.

For I have no one like-minded who will care with genuine feeling how ye get on.

But ye know the proof of him, that, as a son with the father, he hath served with me in the gospel.

Him therefore I hope to send presently, so soon as I shall see how it will go with me.

But I am fully persuaded in [harmony with the wishes of] the Lord that I, myself, also will go to you soon. [Note: Paul here expresses the hope of being released from imprisonment, in spite of previous hints that he might be put to death. See 1:20; 2:17].

Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labour, and fellowsoldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants.

For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick.

For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.

So, I am all the more eager to send him to you people, so that when you see him again you will be glad, and that my sorrow will be lessened [i.e., in knowing that you are relieved to see that he is well again].

So take him to your hearts in the Lord with all joy, and give honour to such as he is:

Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life, to supply your lack of service toward me.

Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:

and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is of law, but that which is through faith in Christ??he righteousness which is of God by faith:

I long to know Christ and the power which is in His resurrection, and to share in His sufferings and die even as He died;

I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Therefore, those of us who are mature should think this way. And if you think differently about anything, God will show you how to think.

For there are many??s I used often to tell you, and am now telling you even with tears??ho live and walk as the enemies of the cross of Christ.

Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

Therefore, my dear brothers whom I long for, my joy and my victor's crown, this is how you must stand firm in the Lord, dear friends.

Let your gentle spirit [your graciousness, unselfishness, mercy, tolerance, and patience] be known to all people. The Lord is near.

Finally, brothers, keep in mind whatever is true, whatever is worthy, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is attractive, whatever is high-toned, all excellence, all merit.

Not that I speak from [any personal] need, for I have learned to be content [and self-sufficient through Christ, satisfied to the point where I am not disturbed or uneasy] regardless of my circumstances.

I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

But I have received everything in full and more; I am amply supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent me. They are the fragrant aroma of an offering, an acceptable sacrifice which God welcomes and in which He delights.

You learned it from [our representative] Epaphras, our beloved fellow bond-servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf

and he also has told us of your love [well-grounded and nurtured] in the [Holy] Spirit.

So, this is why, since the day we heard about these things, we do not stop praying for you and requesting that you people be filled [by God] with the knowledge of what He wants [for your lives], and with spiritual wisdom and understanding.

Then, so mighty is his majesty, he will nerve you perfectly with strength for the cheerful exercise of endurance and forbearance in every situation,

giving thanks to the father, who has qualified you to share in that light he affords to his people:

who has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred [us] to the kingdom of the Son {he loves},

He is the exact living image [the essential manifestation] of the unseen God [the visible representation of the invisible], the firstborn [the preeminent one, the sovereign, and the originator] of all creation.

for by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are on earth, both visible and invisible, the thrones, and the sovereigntys, the principalitys, and the powers: all were created by him, and for him: he is before all things,

And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

because he was well pleased [for] all the fullness to dwell in him,

and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, whether things on earth or things in heaven. He made peace [with mankind] through the [sacrificial] blood of Christ's [death on the] cross.

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

yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and without blemish and unreproveable before him:

[and He will do this] if you continue in the faith, well-grounded and steadfast, and not shifting away from the [confident] hope [that is a result] of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which [gospel] I, Paul, was made a minister.

God [in His eternal plan] chose to make known to them how great for the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in and among you, the hope and guarantee of [realizing the] glory.

It is he whom we proclaim as we admonish and wisely teach everyone, so that we may present everyone mature in the Messiah.

For this I labor [often to the point of exhaustion], striving with His power and energy, which so greatly works within me.

For I would have you know how greatly I strive for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;

that their hearts may he comforted, they being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of the understanding, unto the full knowledge of the mystery of God, even Christ,

For although I am physically absent, I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see how stable you are and how firm your faith in the Messiah is.

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 buried with Him in baptism and raised with Him [to a new life] through [your] faith in the working of God, [as displayed] when He raised Christ from the dead.

And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;

having blotted out the bond written in ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us: and he hath taken it out that way, nailing it to the cross;

And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,

He doesn’t hold on to the head, from whom the whole body, nourished and held together by its ligaments and tendons, develops with growth from God.

If, therefore, ye have been raised together with the Christ, the things on high, be seeking, where, the Christ, is - on the right hand of God, sitting;

The things on high, hold in esteem, not the things upon the earth:

When Christ appears--He is our true Life--then you also will appear with Him in glory.

[In this state] there cannot be [such distinctions as] Greek [i.e., Gentile] and Jew; circumcised people and non-circumcised people; barbarian and Scythian [Note: These last two words refer to foreigners whose language was unintelligible and who were uncivilized heathens], or slave and free person; but Christ is all [that is important] and [He is] in all [of His people].

But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.

Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

As to all my affairs, Tychicus, who is a much-loved brother and faithful assistant and fellow bond-servant in the Lord, will give you all the information.

Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that he might know your estate, and comfort your hearts;

He is with Onesimus, a faithful and dearly loved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you about everything here.

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

And Jesus, he that is called Justus, - they being of the circumcision; these only, are my fellow-workers unto the kingdom of God, men who have been, unto me, a comfort.

Epaphras, who is one of you and a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, sends you greetings. [He is] always striving for you in his prayers, praying with genuine concern, [pleading] that you may [as people of character and courage] stand firm, [spiritually mature] and fully assured in all the will of God.

For I bear him record, that he hath a great zeal for you, and them that are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis.

And tell Archippus [Note: He may have been the preacher at Colosse or Laodicia. See Philemon 1:1-2], "See to it that you fulfill your ministry [there], which you have received in [the service of] the Lord."