Colossians 2–3

Chapter 2

¹For I would have you know what combat I have for you, and those in Laodicea, and as many as have not seen my face in flesh; ²to the end that their hearts may be encouraged, being united together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the full knowledge of the mystery of God; ³in which are hid all the treasures of wisdom and of knowledge.

⁴And I say this to the end that no one may delude you by persuasive speech. ⁵For if indeed in the flesh I am absent, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing and seeing your order, and the firmness of your faith in Christ. ⁶As therefore ye have received the Christ, Jesus the Lord, walk in him, ⁷rooted and built up in him, and assured in the faith, even as ye have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. ⁸See that there be no one who shall lead you away as a prey through philosophy and vain deceit, according to the teaching of men, according to the elements of the world, and not according to Christ. ⁹For in him dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily; ¹⁰and ye are complete in him, who is the head of all principality and authority, ¹¹in whom also ye have been circumcised with circumcision not done by hand, in the putting off of the body of the flesh, in the circumcision of the Christ; ¹²buried with him in baptism, in which ye have been also raised with him through faith of the working of God who raised him from among the dead.

¹³And you, being dead in offences and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, he has quickened together with him, having forgiven us all the offences; ¹⁴having effaced the handwriting in ordinances which stood out against us, which was contrary to us, he has taken it also out of the way, having nailed it to the cross; ¹⁵having spoiled principalities and authorities, he made a show of them publicly, leading them in triumph by it.

¹⁶Let none therefore judge you in meat or in drink, or in matter of feast, or new moon, or sabbaths, ¹⁷which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ. ¹⁸Let no one fraudulently deprive you of your prize, doing his own will in humility and worship of angels, entering into things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by the mind of his flesh, ¹⁹and not holding fast the head, from whom all the body, ministered to and united together by the joints and bands, increases with the increase of God. ²⁰If ye have died with Christ from the elements of the world, why as if alive in the world do ye subject yourselves to ordinances? ²¹Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch, ²²(things which are all for destruction in the using of them:) according to the injunctions and teachings of men, ²³(which have indeed an appearance of wisdom in voluntary worship, and humility, and harsh treatment of the body, not in a certain honour,) to the satisfaction of the flesh.

Chapter 3

¹If therefore ye have been raised with the Christ, seek the things which are above, where the Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God: ²have your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are on the earth; ³for ye have died, and your life is hid with the Christ in God. ⁴When the Christ is manifested who is our life, then shall ye also be manifested with him in glory.

⁵Put to death therefore your members which are upon the earth, fornication, uncleanness, vile passions, evil lust, and unbridled desire, which is idolatry. ⁶On account of which things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. ⁷In which ye also once walked when ye lived in these things.

⁸But now, put off, ye also, all these things, wrath, anger, malice, blasphemy, vile language out of your mouth. ⁹Do not lie to one another, having put off the old man with his deeds, ¹⁰and having put on the new, renewed into full knowledge according to the image of him that has created him; ¹¹wherein there is not Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bondman, freeman; but Christ is everything, and in all.

¹²Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, longsuffering; ¹³forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any should have a complaint against any; even as the Christ has forgiven you, so also do ye. ¹⁴And to all these add love, which is the bond of perfectness. ¹⁵And let the peace of Christ preside in your hearts, to which also ye have been called in one body, and be thankful. ¹⁶Let the word of the Christ dwell in you richly, in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another, in psalms, hymns, spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to God. ¹⁷And everything, whatever ye may do in word or in deed, do all things in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father by him.

¹⁸Wives, be subject 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, do not vex your children, to the end that they be not disheartened. ²²Bondmen, obey in all things your masters according to flesh; not with eye-services, as men-pleasers, but in simplicity of heart, fearing the Lord. ²³Whatsoever ye do, labour at it heartily, as doing it to the Lord, and not to men; ²⁴knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the recompense of the inheritance; ye serve the Lord Christ. ²⁵For he that does a wrong shall receive the wrong he has done, and there is no respect of persons.