Colossians
GREETING the visible and the invisible,
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s whether thrones or dominions
will, and Timothy our brother: or rulers or authorities —
2 To the saints in Christ at Colossae, who all things have been created
are faithful brothers and sisters. through him and for him.
Grace to you and peace from God our Father. a 17 He is before all things,
and by him all things hold together.
THANKSGIVING 18 He is also the head of the body,
3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord the church;
Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 for we he is the beginning,
have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the firstborn from the dead,
the love you have for all the saints 5 because so that he might come to have
of the hope reserved for you in heaven. You first place in everything.
have already heard about this hope in the 19 For God was pleased to have
word of truth, the gospel 6 that has come to all his fullness dwell in him,
you. It is bearing fruit and growing all over 20 and through him to reconcile
the world, just as it has among you since the everything to himself,
day you heard it and came to truly appreciate whether things on earth or things
God’s grace. b 7 You learned this from Epaphras, in heaven,
our dearly loved fellow servant. He is a faith by making peace
ful minister of Christ on your c behalf, 8 and through his blood, shed on the cross. g
he has told us about your love in the Spirit.
21 Once you were alienated and hostile in
PRAYER FOR SPIRITUAL GROWTH your minds expressed in your evil actions.
9 For this reason also, since the day we heard 22 But now he has reconciled you by his physical
this, we haven’t stopped praying for you. We are body through his death, to present you holy,
asking that you may be filled with the knowl faultless, and blameless before him — 23 if
edge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual indeed you remain grounded and steadfast
understanding, d 10 so that you may walk wor in the faith and are not shifted away from the
thy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing hope of the gospel that you heard. This gospel
fruit in every good work and growing in the has been proclaimed in all creation under
knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with heaven, and I, Paul, have become a servant of it.
all power, according to his glorious might, so
that you may have great endurance and pa PAUL’S MINISTRY
tience, joyfully 12 giving thanks to the Father, 24 Now I rejoice in my suff erings for you, and
who has enabled you e to share in the saints’ I am completing in my flesh what is lacking
inheritance in the light. 13 He has rescued us in Christ’s afflictions for his body, that is, the
from the domain of darkness and transferred church. 25 I have become its servant, according
us into the kingdom of the Son he loves. 14 In to God’s commission that was given to me for
him we have redemption, f the forgiveness you, to make the word of God fully known,
of sins. 26 the mystery hidden for ages and genera
tions but now revealed to his saints. 27 God
THE CENTRALITY OF CHRIST wanted to make known among the Gentiles
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the glorious wealth of this mystery, which is
the firstborn over all creation. Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 We proclaim
16 For everything was created by him, him, warning and teaching everyone with all
in heaven and on earth, wisdom, so that we may present everyone
a
1:2 Other mss add and the Lord Jesus Christ b1:6 Or and truly recognized God’s grace c1:7 Other mss read our d1:9 Or all
spiritual wisdom and understanding e1:12 Other mss read us f1:14 Other mss add through his blood g1:20 Other mss add
through him
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Colossians 1-3 1044
mature in Christ. 29 I labor for this, striving and the worship of angels, claiming access to
with his strength that works powerfully in me. a visionary realm. Such people are inflated
2 For I want you to know how greatly I am
struggling for you, for those in Laodicea,
and for all who have not seen me in person. 2 I
by empty notions of their unspiritual g mind.
19 He doesn’t hold on to the head, from whom
the whole body, nourished and held togeth
want their hearts to be encouraged and joined er by its ligaments and tendons, grows with
together in love, so that they may have all the growth from God.
riches of complete understanding and have 20 If you died with Christ to the elements
the knowledge of God’s mystery — Christ. a 3 In of this world, why do you live as if you still
him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom belonged to the world? Why do you submit to
and knowledge. regulations: 21 “Don’t handle, don’t taste, don’t
touch”? 22 All these regulations refer to what
CHRIST VERSUS THE COLOSSIAN HERESY is destined to perish by being used up; they
4 I am saying this so that no one will deceive are human commands and doctrines. 23 Al
you with arguments that sound reasonable. though these have a reputation for wisdom by
5 For I may be absent in body, but I am with you promoting self-made religion, false humility,
in spirit, rejoicing to see how well ordered you and severe treatment of the body, they are
are and the strength of your faith in Christ. not of any value in curbing self-indulgence. h
6 So then, just as you have received Christ
Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, 7 being THE LIFE OF THE NEW MAN
rooted and built up in him and established in
the faith, just as you were taught, and over
flowing with gratitude.
3 So if you have been raised with Christ, seek
the things above, where Christ is, seated
at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on
8 Be careful that no one takes you captive things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you
through philosophy and empty deceit based died, and your life is hidden with Christ in
on human tradition, based on the elements of God. 4 When Christ, who is your i life, appears,
the world, rather than Christ. 9 For the entire then you also will appear with him in glory.
fullness of God’s nature dwells bodily b in Christ, 5 Therefore, put to death what belongs to
10 and you have been filled by him, who is the your earthly nature: sexual immorality, im
head over every ruler and authority. 11 You were purity, lust, evil desire, and greed, which is
also circumcised in him with a circumcision idolatry. 6 Because of these, God’s wrath is
not done with hands, by putting off the body coming upon the disobedient, j 7 and you once
of flesh, in the circumcision of Christ, 12 when walked in these things when you were living
you were buried with him in baptism, in which in them. 8 But now, put away all the following:
you were also raised with him through faith in anger, wrath, malice, slander, and filthy lan
the working of God, who raised him from the guage from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one
dead. 13 And when you were dead in trespasses another, since you have put off the old self with
and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, he its practices 10 and have put on the new self.
made you alive with him and forgave us all You are being renewed in knowledge accord
our trespasses. 14 He erased the certificate of ing to the image of your k Creator. 11 In Christ
debt, with its obligations, that was against us there is not Greek and Jew, circumcision and
and opposed to us, and has taken it away by uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave
nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and free; but Christ is all and in all.
and authorities and disgraced them publicly;
he triumphed over them in him. c THE CHRISTIAN LIFE
16 Therefore, don’t let anyone judge you in 12 Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and
regard to food and drink or in the matter of dearly loved, put on compassion, kindness,
a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day. d humility, gentleness, and patience, 13 bearing
17 These are a shadow of what was to come; with one another and forgiving one another if
the substance is e Christ. 18 Let no one con anyone has a grievance against another. Just
demn f you by delighting in ascetic practices as the Lord has forgiven you, so you are also
a
2:2 Other mss read mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ ; other ms variations exist on this v. b2:9 Or nature lives
in a human body c2:15 Or them through it d2:16 Or or sabbaths e2:17 Or substance belongs to f2:18 Or disqualify
g
2:18 Lit fleshly h2:23 Lit value against indulgence of the flesh i3:4 Other mss read our j3:6 Other mss omit upon the
disobedient k3:10 Lit his
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1045 Colossians 3-4
to forgive. 14 Above all, put on love, which is the most of the time. 6 Let your speech always
the perfect bond of unity. 15 And let the peace be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may
of Christ, to which you were also called in one know how you should answer each person.
body, rule your hearts. And be thankful. 16 Let
the word of Christ dwell richly among you, in FINAL GREETINGS
all wisdom teaching and admonishing one 7 Tychicus, our dearly loved brother, faithful
another through psalms, hymns, and spiri minister, and fellow servant in the Lord, will
tual songs, a singing to God with gratitude in tell you all the news about me. 8 I have sent
your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, in word him to you for this very purpose, so that you
or in deed, do everything in the name of the may know how we are b and so that he may
Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father encourage your hearts. 9 He is coming with
through him. Onesimus, a faithful and dearly loved broth
er, who is one of you. They will tell you about
CHRIST IN YOUR HOME everything here.
18 Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, 10 Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, sends you
as is fitting in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your greetings, as does Mark, Barnabas’s cousin
wives and don’t be bitter toward them. 20 Chil (concerning whom you have received instruc
dren, obey your parents in everything, for this tions: if he comes to you, welcome him), 11 and
pleases the Lord. 21 Fathers, do not exasperate so does Jesus who is called Justus. These alone
your children, so that they won’t become dis of the circumcised are my coworkers for the
couraged. 22 Slaves, obey your human masters kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort
in everything. Don’t work only while being to me. 12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a ser
watched, as people-pleasers, but work whole vant of Christ Jesus, sends you greetings. He
heartedly, fearing the Lord. 23 Whatever you is always wrestling for you in his prayers, so
do, do it from the heart, as something done for that you can stand mature and fully assured c
the Lord and not for people, 24 knowing that in everything God wills. 13 For I testify about
you will receive the reward of an inheritance him that he works hard d for you, for those in
from the Lord. You serve the Lord Christ. 25 For Laodicea, and for those in Hierapolis. 14 Luke,
the wrongdoer will be paid back for whatever the dearly loved physician, and Demas send you
wrong he has done, and there is no favoritism. greetings. 15 Give my greetings to the brothers
4 Masters, deal with your slaves justly and
fairly, since you know that you too have
a Master in heaven.
and sisters in Laodicea, and to Nympha and
the church in her home. 16 After this letter has
been read at your gathering, have it read also
in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that
SPEAKING TO GOD AND OTHERS you also read the letter from Laodicea. 17 And
2 Devote yourselves to prayer; stay alert in it tell Archippus, “Pay attention to the ministry
with thanksgiving. 3 At the same time, pray also you have received in the Lord, so that you can
for us that God may open a door to us for the accomplish it.”
word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which 18 I, Paul, am writing this greeting with my
I am in chains, 4 so that I may make it known as own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be
I should. 5 Act wisely toward outsiders, making with you. e
a
3:16 Or and songs prompted by the Spirit b4:8 Other mss read that he may know how you are c
4:12 Other mss read and
complete d4:13 Other mss read he has a great zeal e4:18 Other mss add Amen.
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