1   Paul an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the will of God, 2   and Timothy our brother, to the holy and faithful brethren in Christ at Colosse: grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. 3   We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, always ^note in our prayers for you: 4   (having heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and your love to all the saints: 5   ) for the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which ye have heard before in the word of truth, that is the gospel; 6   which is come unto you, even as in all the world, and is fruitful; as it hath been also among you, from the day in which ye heard and knew the grace of God in truth. 7   As ye also learned of Epaphras our beloved fellow-servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ for you; 8   who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.

9   For this cause we also, from the day that we heard it, cease not to pray for you, and to request that ye may be filled with the knowledge of his will, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding: 10   that ye may walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11   strengthened with all might according to his glorious power, unto all patience and long-suffering with joy; 12   giving thanks unto the Father, who hath made us meet for a portion of the inheritance of the saints in light: 13   who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath transferred us into the kingdom of ^note his beloved Son: 14   in

whom we have redemption by his blood, even the remission of sins.

15   Who is the image of the invisible God, the ^note first-born of the whole creation: 16   for by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are on the earth, the visible and the invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers; all were created by Him, and for Him. 17    ^noteHe is before all, and by Him all things ^note subsist. 18   And He is the head of the body, which is the church: who is the ^note beginning, the first-born from the dead, that in all things He might have the pre-eminence. 19   For it pleased the Father, ^note that all fulness should dwell in Him; 20   and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace by the blood of his cross; by Him only, whether they be things on earth, or things in heaven. 21   And you that were formerly alienated, and enemies in your mind by wicked works, 22   yet now hath He reconciled in the body of his flesh, through death, to present you holy, and unblameable, and unreproveable in his sight: 23   if so be ye continue grounded and settled in the faith, and be not moved ^note from the gospel, which ye have heard, and which hath been preached throughout the whole creation ^note, of which I Paul am ^note a minister.

24   Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up what is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh, for the sake of his body, which is the church. 25   Of which I was made a minister according to the ^note dispensation of God, which is given me towards you, ^note that I might fully declare the word of God: 26   even that mystery which was hid from former ages and ^note generations, but is now manifested to his saints: 27   to whom God would make known ^note the ^note rich glory of this mystery, among the gentiles; which is this, that Christ is in you the hope of glory: 28   whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: 29   in order to which I ^note also labour, striving earnestly according to his energy which operates in me with power.

1   For I

would have you know what a great conflict I have for you, and for those in Laodicea, and as many as have not seen ^note me in person: 2   that their hearts may be comforted, being knit together in love, and to all the riches of a full assurance of understanding in these things, to the acknowledgment of the mystery of our God and Father, and of Christ: 3   in whom are ^note all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4   And this I say, least any one should deceive you with ^note fine speeches. 5   For though I be absent in body, yet am I with you in spirit, rejoicing and beholding your regularity, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ. 6   Therefore as ye have received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in Him; 7   rooted and built up in Him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught it, abounding therein with thanksgiving.

8   Take heed least any one make a prey of you by ^note philosophy and vain deceit, according to the tradition of men, after the elements of the world, and not after Christ: 9   for all the fulness of the deity dwelleth ^note personally in Him. 10   And ye are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power. 11   In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision not performed by hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision which is of Christ: 12   being buried with Him in baptism, wherein also ye are raised together with Him, through ^note faith in the ^note power of God, who raised Him from the dead. 13   And when ye were dead in trespasses, and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive ^note together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, 14   and cancelled the ^note obligation we were under by ritual decrees, which was ^note grievous to us, and hath taken it quite away, even nailing it to his cross. 15   And having spoiled principalities and powers, He made them an open spectacle, triumphing over them by it. 16   Let no one therefore judge you on account of meat, or drink, or in respect of a feast, or a new-moon, or sabbaths; 17   which are a shadow of good things to come, but the ^note body is of Christ. 18   Let no one deprive you of your reward by ^note an affected humility and worshipping of

angels, intruding into what he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his carnal mind; 19   and not adhering to the head, from which all the body, being supplied and held together as by joints and bands, increaseth with the increase of God.

20   If therefore ye be dead with Christ from the elements of the world; why, as if living in the world, are ye subject to ceremonial ordinances, 21   (such as “touch not, taste not, 22   handle not,” which all tend to corruption ^note in the using,) according to the commandments and doctrines of men? 23   which things indeed have a pretence to wisdom in voluntary worship, and ^note humiliation, and ^note bodily penance, as ^note having no regard to the satisfying of the flesh.

1   If ye then be risen with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God. 2    ^noteMind the things above, not those on the earth. 3   For ye are dead as to the world, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4   When Christ, who is ^note your life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory.

5   Mortify therefore your ^note members that are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, disorderly passion, evil concupiscence, and insatiable desire, which is indeed idolatry: 6   for which things the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience. 7   In which ye also formerly walked, when ye lived among them. 8   But now put away all these also, wrath, animosity, malice, ^note calumny, and filthy discourse out of your mouth. 9   Lie not one to another, seeing ye have put off the old man with his evil practices; 10   and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge, after the image of Him that created him. 11   Wherein there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave, or free: but Christ is all and in all. 12   Put on therefore, as the elect of God holy and beloved, bowels of mercy, ^note benignity, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering; 13   bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if any one has a complaint

against any: even as Christ hath forgiven you, so also do ye. 14   And ^note above all these put on love, which is the band of perfection. 15   And let the peace of God preside in your hearts, to which ye are also called as united in one body: and be thankful for it.

16   Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; ^note teaching and admonishing one another by psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs, with ^note gratitude singing in your hearts to the Lord. 17   And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to our God and Father by Him.

18   Wives, be subject to your ^note husbands, as becometh you in the Lord: 19   and ye husbands, love your wives, and be not embittered against them. 20   Children, obey your parents in all things; for this is well-pleasing to the Lord: 21   and ye fathers, do not irritate your children, least they be discouraged. 22   Servants, be obedient in all things to your ^note lawful masters, not with eye-service as men-pleasers, but in ^note uprightness of heart, fearing God; and whatever service ye do, 23    ^note do it heartily, as to the Lord, ^note and not to men; 24   knowing that from the Lord ye shall receive the recompense of the inheritance; for ye serve the Lord Christ; 25   but he that doth unjustly, shall ^note receive for what wrong he hath done; and there is no respect of persons with God:

1   and ye masters, render to your servants justice and equity, knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven.

2   Persevere in prayer, and be watchful in it, with thanksgiving. 3   Praying at the same time for us also, that God would open to us a door of utterance, to ^note declare the mystery of Christ, for which also I am in bonds: that I may make it manifest, as I ought ^note. ^note 4   Behave yourselves wisely towards them that are without, 5    redeeming the time. 6   Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with ^note discretion to know how ye ought to answer every one.

7   All things concerning me will Tychicus make known to you, who is a beloved brother, and faithful ^note minister, and fellow-servant in the Lord: 8   whom I have sent to you for this ^note purpose also that he may know your affairs,

and comfort your hearts; 9   together with Onesimus a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will inform you of all things here.

10   Aristarchus my fellow-prisoner saluteth you, and Marcus ^note nephew to Barnabas, concerning whom ye have received orders; (if he come to you, receive him;) and Jesus who is called Justus: 11   these are the only persons, who, ^note of the circumcision, have been my fellow-laborers in the kingdom of God, and who were a comfort to me. 12   Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you; who always strives earnestly for you in his prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God: 13   for I bear him witness, that he ^note is very zealous for you, and for those in Laodicea, and ^note Hierapolis. 14   Luke the beloved physician, and Demas, greeteth you.

15   Salute the brethren in Laodicea; and Nymphas, and the church that is in his house. 16   And when ^note this letter has been read amongst you, cause it to be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; ^note that ye may also read that from Laodicea. 17   And say ye to Archippus, Look well to the ministry, which thou hast received ^note of the Lord, that thou fulfil it.

18   The salutation of me Paul, with my own hand. Remember my bonds. Grace be with you. Amen. Written to the Colossians from Rome, by Tychicus and Onesimus.

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