Greeting

1 Paul, aan apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,

2 To the saints band faithful brethren in Christ who are in Colosse:

cGrace to you and peace from God our Father 1and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Their Faith in Christ

3 dWe give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, 4 esince we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of fyour love for all the saints; 5 because of the hope gwhich is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel, 6 which has come to you, has it has also in all the world, and iis bringing forth 2fruit, as it is also among you since the day you heard and knew jthe grace of God in truth; 7 as you also learned from kEpaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is la faithful minister of Christ on your behalf, 8 who also declared to us your mlove in the Spirit.

Preeminence of Christ

9 nFor this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask othat you may be filled with pthe knowledge of His will qin all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10 rthat you may walk worthy of the Lord, sfully pleasing Him, tbeing fruitful in every good work and increasing in the uknowledge of God; 11 vstrengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, wfor all patience and longsuffering xwith joy; 12 ygiving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of zthe inheritance of the saints in the light. 13 He has delivered us from athe power of darkness band 3conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, 14 cin whom we have redemption 4through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.

15 He is dthe image of the invisible God, ethe firstborn over all creation. 16 For fby Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or gdominions or 5principalities or 6powers. All things were created hthrough Him and for Him. 17 iAnd He is before all things, and in Him jall things consist. 18 And kHe is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, lthe firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.

Reconciled in Christ

19 For it pleased the Father that min Him all the fullness should dwell, 20 and nby Him to reconcile oall things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, phaving made peace through the blood of His cross.

21 And you, qwho once were alienated and enemies in your mind rby wicked works, yet now He has sreconciled 22 tin the body of His flesh through death, uto present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight—23 if indeed you continue vin the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are wnot moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, xwhich was preached to every creature under heaven, yof which I, Paul, became a minister.

Sacrificial Service for Christ

24 zI now rejoice in my sufferings afor you, and fill up in my flesh bwhat is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for cthe sake of His body, which is the church, 25 of which I became a minister according to dthe 7stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God, 26 ethe 8mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, fbut now has been revealed to His saints. 27 gTo them God willed to make known what are hthe riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: 9which is iChrist in you, jthe hope of glory. 28 Him we preach, kwarning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, lthat we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. 29 To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mmightily.

Not Philosophy But Christ

2 For I want you to know what a great aconflict 1I have for you and those in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh, 2 that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, 2both of the Father and of Christ, 3 bin whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

4 Now this I say clest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words. 5 For dthough I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing 3to see eyour good order and the fsteadfastness of your faith in Christ.

6 gAs you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 7 hrooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding 4in it with thanksgiving.

8 Beware lest anyone 5cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to ithe tradition of men, according to the jbasic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For kin Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead 6bodily; 10 and you are complete in Him, who is the lhead of all 7principality and power.

Not Legalism But Christ

11 In Him you were also mcircumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by nputting off the body 8of the sins of the