1   Paul an Apostle of Iesus Christ, by the ^note will of God, and Timotheus our brother,

2   To them which are at ^note Colosse, Saintes and faithfull brethren in Christ: Grace bee with you, and peace from God our Father, and from the Lorde Iesus Christ. Christ strengtheneth vs.

3    ^noteWe giue thankes to God euen þe; ^note Father of our Lord Iesus Christ, alway praying for you:

4   Since wee heard of your faith in Christ Iesus, and of your loue toward all Saintes,

5   For the ^note hopes sake, which is laide vp for you in heauen, whereof yee haue heard before by the word of trueth, which is the Gospel,

6   Which is come vnto you, eu&ebar; as it is vnto al the world, & is fruitful, as it is also am&obar;g you, from þe; day that ye heard & truely knew þe; grace of God,

7   As yee also learned of Epaphras our deare fellowe seruaunt, which is for you a faithfull minister of Christ:

All things created by Christ.

8    ^noteWho hath also declared vnto vs your loue in the ^note Spirit.

9   For this cause wee also, since the day wee heard of it, cease not to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be fulfilled with knowledge of ^note his will in all wisdome, and spirituall vnderstanding,

10   That ye might walke worthy of the Lord, & please him in all things, being fruitefull in all good workes, and increasing in the knowledge of God,

11    ^noteStrengthened with all might through his glorious power, vnto all patience, and long suffering with ^note ioyfulnesse,

12    ^noteGiuing thankes vnto the ^note Father, which hath made vs meete to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saintes in ^note light,

13   Who hath deliuered vs from the power of darkenesse, and hath translated vs into the kingdome ^note of his deare Sonne,

14    ^noteIn whome we haue redemption through his blood, that is, the forgiuenesse of sinnes,

15    ^noteWho is the ^note image of the inuisible God, ^note the first begotten of euery creature.

16    ^noteFor by him were all things created, which are in heauen, and which are in earth, thinges visible and inuisible: whether they be ^note Thrones or Dominions, or Principalities, or Powers, all things were created by him, and for him,

17   And hee is before all things, and in him all things consist.

18    ^noteAnd hee is the head of the body of the Church: he is the beginning, ^note and the ^note first begotten of the dead, that in all thinges hee might haue the preeminence.

19    ^noteFor it pleased the Father, that in him should ^note all fulnesse dwell,

20    ^noteAnd through peace made by that blood of that his crosse, to reconcile to himselfe through him, through him, I say, ^note all thinges, both which are in earth, and which are in heauen.

21    ^noteAnd you which were in times past strangers and enemies, because your mindes were set in The rest of Christs afflictions. euill workes, hath ^note he nowe also reconciled,

22   In that body of his ^note flesh through death, to make you holy, and vnblameable and without fault in his sight,

23    ^noteIf ye continue, grounded and stablished in the faith, & be not moued away from the hope of the Gospel, whereof ye haue heard, and which hath bene preached to ^note euery creature which is vnder heauen, ^note whereof I Paul am a minister.

24   Now reioyce I in my suffrings for ^note you, and fulfill the ^note rest of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh, for his bodies sake, which is the Church,

25    ^noteWhereof I am a minister, according to the dispensation of God, which is giuen mee vnto you ward, to fulfill the word of God,

26    ^noteWhich is the mysterie hid since the world began, and from all ages, but nowe is made manifest to his ^note Saintes,

27   To whome God ^note woulde make knowen what is the riches of his glorious mysterie among the Gentiles, which riches is Christ in you, the hope of glory,

28    ^noteWhome we preache, admonishing euery man, & teaching euery man in ^note all wisdome, that we may present euery man perfect in Christ Iesus,

29   Whereunto I also labour & striue, according to his working which worketh in me mightily. CHAP. II. 4 He condemneth, as vaine, whatsoeuer is without Christ, 11 intreating specially of circumcision, 16 of abstinence from meates, 18 and of worshipping of Angels. 20 That we are deliuered from the traditions of the Law through Christ.

1   For I ^note woulde ye knewe what great fighting I haue for your sakes, and for them of Laodicea, and for as many as haue not seene my ^note person in the flesh,

2    ^noteThat ^note their heartes might be comforted, and they knit together in loue, and in all riches of the ^note full assurance of vnderstanding, to know the mysterie of God, euen the Father, and of Christ:

3   In whom are hid all the treasures of ^note wisedome and knowledge.

4    ^noteAnd this I say, lest any man shoulde beguile you with ^note entising wordes:

5    ^noteFor though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, reioycing & beholding your ^note order, and your ^note stedfast faith in Christ.

6   As ye haue therefore ^note receiued Christ Iesus the Lord, so walke in him,

7   Rooted and built in him, and stablished in

Christes diuinitie. the faith, as ye haue bene taught, abo&ubar;ding therein with thankesgiuing.

8    ^noteBeware lest there be any man that ^note spoile you through philosophie, & vaine deceit, ^note through the traditions of men, ^note according to the ^note rudiments of the world, ^note and not after Christ.

9    ^noteFor ^note in him ^note dwelleth ^note all the fulnesse of the Godhead ^note bodily.

10   And yee are complete in him, which is the head of all principalitie and power.

11    ^noteIn whome also yee are circumcised with ^note circumcision made without handes, by putting off the ^note sinfull body of the flesh, through the circumcision of Christ,

12    ^noteIn that yee are ^{note note} buried with ^note him through baptisme, ^note in whome ye are also raised vp together through the faith of the operation of ^note God, which raised him from the dead.

13    ^{note note}And you which were dead in sinnes, ^note and in the vncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, forgiuing you all your trespasses,

14    ^noteAnd putting out the ^{note note} hand writing of ordinances that was against vs, which was contrarie to vs, hee euen tooke it out of the way, and fastened it vpon the crosse,

15   And hath spoyled the ^note Principalities, and Powers, & hath ^note made a shew of them openly, and hath triumphed ouer them in the ^note same cro&esset;e.

16    ^noteLet no man therefore condemne you in meate and drinke, or in respect of an holy day, or of the newe moone, or of the Sabbath dayes,

17   Which are but a shadowe of thinges to come: but the ^note body is in Christ. Against traditions.

18    ^noteLet no man at his pleasure beare rule ouer you by ^note humblenesse of minde, and worshipping of Angels, ^note aduauncing himselfe in those thinges which hee neuer sawe, ^{note note} rashly puft vp with his fleshly minde,

19    ^noteAnd holdeth not the ^note head, whereof all the body furnished and knit together by ioyntes and bands, increaseth with the increasing of ^note God.

20    ^noteWherefore if ye be dead with Christ fr&obar; the ordinances of the world, why, ^note as though ye liued in þe; world, are ye burdened with traditions?

21    ^noteAs, Touch not, Taste not, Handle not.

22    ^noteWhich al perish with the vsing, ^note and are after the commandements and doctrines of men.

23    ^noteWhich thinges haue in deede a shewe of ^note wisdome, in ^note voluntarie religion and humblenesse of minde, and in ^note not sparing the body, which are thinges of no valewe, sith they perteine to the ^note filling of the flesh. CHAP. III. 1 Against earthly exercises, which the false apostles vrged, 2 he setteth heauenly: 5 And beginneth with the mortifying of the flesh, 8 whence he draweth particular exhortations, 18 and particular dueties which depende on eche mans calling.

1   If ^note yee then ^note bee ^note risen with Christ, ^note seeke those thinges which are aboue, where Christ

The Christian life. sitteth at the right hand of God.

2   Set your affections on things which are aboue, and not on things which are on the ^note earth.

3    ^noteFor ye are dead, ^note and your life is hid with Christ in God.

4   When Christ which is our life, shall appeare, then shal ye also appeare with him in glory.

5    ^{note note}Mortifie therefore your ^note members which are on the earth, fornication, vncleannes, the inordinate affection, euill concupiscence, and couetousnes which is idolatrie.

6   For the which things sake þe; wrath of God ^note commeth on the children of disobedience.

7   Wherein ye also walked once, when ye liued in them.

8   But now put ye away euen all these things, wrath, anger, maliciousnes, cursed speaking, filthie speaking, out of your mouth.

9   Lie not one to another, ^note seeing that yee haue put off the olde man with his workes,

10   And haue put on the newe, ^note which is renewed in ^note knowledge after the image of him that created him,

11    ^noteWhere is neither Grecian nor Iewe, circumcision nor vncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond, free: But Christ is all, and in all things.

12   Now therfore as the elect of God holy and beloued, ^note put on the ^note bowels of mercies, kindnesse, humblenesse of minde, meekenesse, long suffering:

13   Forbearing one another, and forgiuing one another, if any man haue a quarel to another: euen as Christ forgaue, euen so doe ye.

14   And aboue all these thinges put on loue, which is the ^note bond of perfectnes.

15   And let the peace of God ^note rule in your hearts, to the which ye are called in ^note one body, and be ye thankfull.

16   Let the worde of Christ dwell in you plenteously in all wisdome, teaching and admonishing your owne selues, in ^note Psalmes, and hymnes, and spirituall songs, singing with a grace in your hearts to the Lord.

17    ^noteAnd whatsoeuer ye shall doe, in worde or deede, doe all in the ^note Name of the Lorde Iesus, giuing thankes to God euen the Father by him.

18   ¶2; ^{note note} Wiues, submit your selues vnto your To pray and watch. husbands, as it is ^note comely in the Lord.

19    ^{note note}Husbands, loue your wiues, and be not bitter vnto them.

20   ¶2; ^{note note} Children, obey your parents in ^note all thing for that is well pleasing vnto the Lord.

21    ^noteFathers, prouoke not your children to anger, least they be discouraged.

22   ¶2; ^{note note} Seruants, be obedient vnto them that are your masters according to the flesh, in all things, not with eye seruice as men pleasers, but in singlenes of heart, fearing God.

23   And whatsoeuer ye doe, doe it heartily, as to the Lord, and not to men,

24   Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receiue the ^note reward of the inheritance: for ye serue the Lord Christ.

25    ^noteBut he that doeth wrong, shall receiue for the wrong that he hath done: and there is no respect of persons. CHAP. IIII. 2 He returneth to generall exhortations, 3 touching prayer, and gracious speach, 7 and so endeth with greetings and commendations.

1   Ye masters, doe vnto your seruants, that which is iust, and equall, knowing that ye also haue a master in heauen.

2    ^{note note note}Continue in prayer, and watch in the fame with thankesgiuing,

3    ^{note note}Praying also for vs, þt; God may open vnto vs the ^note doore of vtterance, to speake þe; mysterie of Christ: wherefore I am also in bonds,

4   That I may vtter it, as it becommeth mee to speake.

5   ¶2; ^{note note} Walke ^note wisely towarde them that are without, and redeeme the ^note season.

6    ^noteLet your speach be ^note gracious alwayes, and powdred with ^note salt, that ye may know how to answere euery man.

7   ¶2; Tychicus our beloued brother and faithfull minister, and fellow seruant in the Lord, shall declare vnto you my whole state:

8   Whom I haue sent vnto you for the same purpose that he might know your state, & might comfort your hearts,

9   With Onesimus a faithfull and a beloued brother, who is one of you. They shall shew you of all things here.

10   Aristarchus my prison fellow saluteth you, and Marcus, Barnabas cousin (touching whom ye receiued commandements. If he come vnto you, receiue him)

11   And Iesus which is called Iustus, which are of the circumcision. These ^note onely are my worke fellowes vnto the ^note kingdome of God, which haue bene vnto my consolation.

12   Epaphras the seruant of Christ, which is one of you, saluteth you, and alwayes striueth for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect, and full in all the will of God.

13   For I beare him record, that he hath a great zeale for you, and for them of Laodicea, & them of Hierapolis.

Effectuall fayth.

14    ^noteLuke the beloued physician greeteth you, and Demas.

15   Salute the brethren which are of Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the Church which is in his house.

16   And when this Epistle is read of you, cause that it be read in the Church of the Laodiceans also, and that ye likewise reade the Epistle written Against men pleasers. from Laodicea.

17   And say to Archippus, Take heede to the ministerie, that thou hast receiued in the Lorde, that thou fulfill it.

18   The salutation by the hand of me Paul. Remember my bands. Grace be with you, Amen. ¶2; Written from Rome to the Colossians, and sent by Tychicus, and Onesimus.

Previous section

Next section