1    1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, and Timothy our brother, 2To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ that are at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father.  3We give thanks to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, 4having heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have toward all the saints, 5because of the hope which is laid up for you in the heavens, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel, 6which is come unto you; even as it is also in all the world bearing fruit and increasing, as it doth in you also, since the day ye heard and knew the grace of God in truth; 7even as ye learned of Epaphras our beloved fellow-servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, 8who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.  9For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray and make request for you, that ye may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10to walk worthily of the Lord unto all pleasing, bearing fruit in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11strengthened with all power, according to the might of his glory, unto all patience and longsuffering with joy; 12giving thanks unto the Father, who made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light; 13who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love; 14in whom we have our redemption, the forgiveness of our sins: 15who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; 16for in him were all things created, in the heavens and upon the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been created through him, and unto him; 17and he is before all things, and in him all things consist.  18And 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.  19For it was the good pleasure of the Father that in him should all the fulness dwell; 20and through him to reconcile all things unto himself, having made peace through the blood of his cross; through him, I say, whether things upon the earth, or things in the heavens.  21And you, being in time past alienated and enemies in your mind in your evil works, 22yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and without blemish and unreproveable before him: 23if so be that ye continue in the faith, grounded and stedfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel which ye heard, which was preached in all creation under heaven; whereof I Paul was made a minister.  24Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and fill up on my part that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church; 25whereof I was made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which was given me to you-ward, to fulfil the word of God, 26even the mystery which hath been hid for ages and generations: but now hath it been manifested to his saints, 27to whom God was pleased to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: 28whom we proclaim, admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ; 29whereunto I labor also, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.      2    1For 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; 2that their hearts may be comforted, they being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, that they may know the mystery of God, even Christ, 3in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden.  4This I say, that no one may delude you with persuasiveness of speech.  5For though I am absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ.  6As therefore ye received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7rooted and builded up in him, and established in your faith, even as ye were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.  8Take heed lest there shall be any one that maketh spoil of you through his philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ: 9for in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily, 10and in him ye are made full, who is the head of all principality and power: 11in whom ye were also circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the body of the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ; 12having been buried with him in baptism, wherein ye were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.  13And you, being dead through your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, you, I say, did he make alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses; 14having 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; 15having despoiled the principalities and the powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.  16Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a feast day or a new moon or a sabbath day: 17which are a shadow of the things to come; but the body is Christ's.  18Let no man rob you of your prize by a voluntary humility and worshipping of the angels, dwelling in the things which he hath seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, 19and not holding fast the Head, from whom all the body, being supplied and knit together through the joints and bands, increasing with the increase of God.  20If ye died with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, do ye subject yourselves to ordinances, 21Handle not, nor taste, nor touch 22(all which things are to perish with the using), after the precepts and doctrines of men?  23Which things have indeed a show of wisdom in will-worship, and humility, and severity to the body; but are not of any value against the indulgence of the flesh.      3    1If then ye were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God.  2Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are upon the earth.  3For ye died, and your life is hid with Christ in God.  4When Christ, who is our life, shall be manifested, then shall ye also with him be manifested in glory.  5Put to death therefore your members which are upon the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry; 6for which things' sake cometh the wrath of God upon the sons of disobedience: 7wherein ye also once walked, when ye lived in these things; 8but now do ye also put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, railing, shameful speaking out of your mouth: 9lie not one to another; seeing that ye have put off the old man with his doings, 10and have put on the new man, that is being renewed unto knowledge after the image of him that created him: 11where there cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bondman, freeman; but Christ is all, and in all.  12Put on therefore, as God's elect, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, longsuffering; 13forbearing one another, and forgiving each other, if any man have a complaint against any; even as the Lord forgave you, so also do ye: 14and above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfectness.  15And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to the which also ye were called in one body; and be ye thankful.  16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts unto God.  17And whatsoever ye do, in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.  18Wives, be in subjection to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.  19Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.  20Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing in the Lord.  21Fathers, provoke not your children, that they be not discouraged.  22Servants, obey in all things them that are your masters according to the flesh; not with eye-service, as men-pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing the Lord: 23whatsoever ye do, work heartily, as unto the Lord, and not unto men; 24knowing that from the Lord ye shall receive the recompense of the inheritance: ye serve the Lord Christ.  25For he that doeth wrong shall receive again for the wrong that he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.      4    1Masters, render unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven.  2Continue stedfastly in prayer, watching therein with thanksgiving; 3withal praying for us also, that God may open unto us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds; 4that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.  5Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.  6Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer each one.  7All my affairs shall Tychicus make known unto you, the beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow-servant in the Lord: 8whom I have sent you for this very purpose, that ye may know our state, and that he may comfort your hearts; 9together with Onesimus, the faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you.  They shall make known unto you all things that are done here.  10Aristarchus my fellow-prisoner saluteth you, and Mark, the cousin of Barnabas (touching whom ye received commandments; if he come unto you, receive him), 11and Jesus that is called Justus, who are of the circumcision: these only are my fellow-workers unto the kingdom of God, men that have been a comfort unto me.  12Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, saluteth you, always striving for you in his prayers, that ye may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God.  13For I bear him witness, that he hath much labor for you, and for them in Laodicea, and for them in Hierapolis.  14Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas salute you.  15Salute the brethren that are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church that is in their house.  16And when this epistle hath been read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that ye also read the epistle from Laodicea.  17And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it.  18The salutation of me Paul with mine own hand.  Remember my bonds.  Grace be with you.