Be mutually obsequious with christian respect.

let married women be submissive to their husbands, out of regard to the Lord.

as the church then is subordinate to Christ, so let women be to their husbands upon all occasions.

to sanctify and purify her by the ablution of his word,

that he himself might make her appear illustrious to his own eye, a church without spot, or any thing like a defect; so as to be holy and irreprehensible.

the scripture says, "for this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be united to his wife, and they two shall be as one."

that it may be well with thee, and thou mayst be long-lived on the earth."

Servants, be obedient to your legal masters, with awful reverence and sincerity of heart, as unto Christ:

and not to men: considering that whatever good any man doth, he shall be rewarded for it by the Lord, whether he be a slave or free.

and you masters have a just regard to them, by softning your authority: knowing that both their and your master is in heaven, where there is no respect of persons with him.

put on the set of divine armour, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

wherefore invest yourselves with the set of divine armour, that ye may be able to withstand in the difficult day, and having overcome all to maintain your ground.

let salvation be your helmet, and the divine doctrine your spiritual sword.

grace be with all those that have love uncorrupted for our Lord Jesus Christ. amen.

Grace and peace be with you from God our father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

and the favour I ask of him is this, that your kindness to me may be crown'd with farther improvements in knowledge and all prudence;

abounding in good works by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

even many of our brethren, encourag'd by my bonds, preach the word with greater freedom and intrepidity.

is it not however some advantage? since in either way, whether it be occasionally, or professedly, Christ is preach'd; which is now, and always will be matter of joy to me.

for I know that this shall turn to my deliverance, thro' your prayers, by the spirit, which Jesus Christ will supply me with,

agreeably to that expectation and persuasion I have, that I shall not labour in vain; but as I always have, so I shall still glorify Christ in my body, whether it be by life or by death: for if I live, I live to Christ;

whether it be an advantage to me or not still to lead this mortal life, what to chuse I cannot tell.

I am doubly press'd between my desire to depart, in order to be with Christ, which is by far the best for ME;

that by my being present with you again, I may be the occasion of heightning your christian joy.

without being under any the least apprehension from your adversaries: this will be to them a sign of their ruin, and to you of salvation, by the divine appointment.

If then there be any christian consolation, any charitable relief, any communion of the spirit, if any tenderness of compassion,

compleat my joy, by pursuing the same view, living in mutual love, by being unanimous, and cultivating that harmony.

for the same temper of mind ought to be in you as was in Christ Jesus:

by assuming the form of a servant: being made in the likeness of men,

that at the name of Jesus both angels and men, the living and the dead, should pay their adorations,

that you may be without reproach, the inoffensive spotless children of God in the midst of a depraved and perverse generation (among whom you should shine as stars in the world,

and you too should be glad and congratulate me upon that account.

However, I hope by the favour of the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you very soon, that I may have some encouragement by knowing the state of your affairs:

I sent him therefore with the greater dispatch, that I might have the less disquietude, by the satisfaction you will find in seeing him again.

receive him then in the Lord with all alacrity, and let such be the objects of your esteem:

be upon your guard against snarlers, against the contrivances of the crafty, against the spurious breed;

being circumcised the eighth day, of the family of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew by descent, by sect a Pharisee.

if zeal is to be regarded, I persecuted the church; if the integrity prescrib'd by the law, I am without reproach;

and be his true disciple, not professing that justification, which is derived from the law, but that which is from the gospel,

I press towards the mark for the prize to which God has called me from above by Jesus Christ.

who in the. end will be ruin'd, who place their religion in sensuality, their glory in that which is their shame, and fix their thoughts upon this earth.

it is he, that will change our vile body into a like form with his glorious body, by displaying that power which is able to subdue all things unto himself.

I conjure Euodias, and I conjure Syntyche to be perfectly united in the Lord.

let your meekness be known unto all men.

the Lord is coming: be not in any manner of sollicitude, but in all your occasions lay your requests before God by prayer and supplication accompany'd by thanksgiving.

Finally, my brethren, whatever has the character of truth, of dignity, of justice, of chastity, whatever can procure you esteem and reputation, in a word, if there be any thing virtuous or praise-worthy, let that be the object of your enquiry.

practise what I have taught, what you have learnt of me, what you have heard me preach, and seen me practise. this do, and the God of peace will then be with you.

it is not my indigence that makes me say this: for I have learn'd, in whatevever state I am, therewith to be content: I know how to be in want,

I have now receiv'd the whole, and have more than sufficient: I am loaded with the presents you sent by Epaphroditus, which I have receiv'd as grateful incense, as a sacrifice which God accepts and approves.

for which may my God crown all your desires with glory by Christ Jesus.

to God our father be glory for ever. amen.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. AMEN.

Paul an apostle of Jesus Christ by the divine appointment, and Timothy our brother,

to our faithful brethren the christian converts at Coloss. favour and peace be to you from God our father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

for the sake of that happiness, which you hope for, and is reserv'd for you in heaven, of which you have already been inform'd by the preaching of the truth, that is, the gospel:

which you heard was offer'd to you, by the instructions of Epaphras, our dear fellow-servant, who is to you a faithful minister of Christ:

For this cause, ever since we heard of it, we incessantly pray for you, requesting that you may be endued with respect to the knowledge of his will, with all wisdom and spiritual discernment:

that your conduct may be worthy of the Lord, in every respect agreeable to him, being friutful in every kind of virtue, and increasing in divine knowledge:

It is by him, that we have obtain'd the redemption, even the remission of our sins:

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 by him all things consist.

he himself is the head of the church, which is his body. he is the prince, the first-born from the dead, that in all things he might be chief.

for it seemed good to the father to inhabit the whole body of the church by Christ:

and having made peace by the blood of his cross, to reconcile all things to himself, both those in heaven, and those upon earth.

You then that formerly were alienated from God, and were enemies by your imaginations and wicked practices, even you has Jesus Christ now reconciled to the body of his church,

provided you continue well-grounded and settled in the faith, and do not abandon that hope which has been offer'd to you by the gospel, and is proclaim'd to all mankind; of which I Paul am made a minister.

to whom God does disclose the glorious advantages of this mystery to you Gentiles, to wit, "that by Christ you may have the expectation of glory."

he it is that we preach, exhorting, and instructing men in every part of divine knowledge, that they may all be perfectly acquainted with the doctrine of Christ Jesus.

this is what I earnestly strive to effect, by virtue of that power, which effectually operates in me.

that their hearts might be comforted, and that being firmly united in love, they might possess the highest and fullest persuasion of the truth of this doctrine, by entring into this mystery, even of God the father, and of Christ,

I mention this, lest any one should deceive you by specious pretences.

beware lest any one seduce you by the vain illusions of philosophy, founded upon human traditions, and meer shadows, and not upon Christ:

and ye are filled by him, who is the chief of all principality and power:

by whom also ye have obtain'd the true spiritual circumcision, not effected by men, when you were by a christian circumcision divested of all your carnal affections,

which were buried (as Christ was) in your baptism, by virtue of which you rise (as he did) to a new life, through a belief of that divine power, which raised him from the dead.

not adhering to the head, from which all the parts of the body derive its nutrition, and being firmly united together by its joints and ligaments, receives a divine increase.

which yet were all made to be consumed for our use, notwithstanding the injunctions and doctrines of men:

by which indeed they make a pretence to wisdom, by a worship of their own devising, by an air of humility, and self-denial, and a disregard to the gratifications of sense.

let the things above, and not such worldly matters be the object of your thoughts.

Mortify therefore your sensual appetites, fornication, impurity, irregular passions, wicked desires, and that licentiousness practised by idolaters.

but now renounce them all, as well as anger, animosity, malice: let calumny and obscene discourse be banish'd from your lips.

let there be no fraud among you, since you have discarded your former habits and practices, and are become new men,

improv'd by knowledge into a resemblance of him, who made this change:

by which there is now neither Greek, or Jew; circumcised, or uncircumcised; Barbarian, or Scythian; slave, or freeman; but Christ is all, and in all.

be you therefore adorn'd with a compassionate temper, with benevolence, humility, meekness, patience as becometh saints and chosen favourites of God:

may the peace of Christ, to which you are called to be but one body, influence your hearts, to be benevolent.

Let the christian doctrine be the familiar subject of your entertainment: in all wisdom instructing and exhorting one another, in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, melodiously tuning your grateful praises to God.

let your discourse and your actions be all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the father by him.

Dames, be submissive to your husbands, as becomes christians.

fathers, don't treat your children with severity, lest they be discourag'd.

servants, be entirely obedient to those, whom the laws have made your masters, and not meerly out of regard to their observation, as designing only to please men, but from a principle of integrity, as fearing God:

but he that does wrong shall be punish'd for his injustice: for no regard will be shown to the external characters of men.

Persevere and be vigilant in prayer and in thanksgiving:

that I may publish it in the manner, it should necessarily be done.

Be prudent in your conduct to those, who are not christians: and make the best of of every opportunity.

let an air of modesty appear in all your discourse; and let it be seasoned with discretion, in making a proper reply, when you are call'd into question.

As to what relates to me, you will be inform'd of it by Tychicus my dear brother, who is a faithful minister of the Lord, and serves him with me.

Jesus, who is called Justus, salutes you: these are the only Jews who by assisting me in preaching the gospel,

have cordially reliev'd me. Epaphras a servant of Christ, and your countryman, salutes you, who is always very earnest in his prayers, that you may be perfectly acquainted with, and constantly observe,

church which uses to meet in his house. when this epistle has been read among you, take care that it be read likewise in the church of the Laodiceans, and