²That their hearts may be comforted, being instructed in charity and unto all riches of fulness of understanding, unto the knowledge of the mystery of God the Father and of Christ Jesus:

³In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

⁴Now this I say, that no man may deceive you by loftiness of words.

⁵For though I be absent in body, yet in spirit I am with you, rejoicing, and beholding your order and the steadfastness of your faith which is in Christ.

⁶As therefore you have received Jesus Christ the Lord, walk ye in him:

⁷Rooted and built up in him and confirmed in the faith, as also you have learned: abounding in him in thanksgiving.

⁸Beware lest any man cheat you by philosophy and vain deceit: according to the tradition of men according to the elements of the world and not according to Christ.

⁹For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead corporeally.

¹⁰And you are filled in him, who is the head of all principality and power.

¹¹In whom also you are circumcised with circumcision not made by hand in despoiling of the body of the flesh: but in the circumcision of Christ.

¹²Buried with him in baptism: in whom also you are risen again by the faith of the operation of God who hath raised him up from the dead.

¹³And you, when you were dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, he hath quickened together with him, forgiving you all offences:

¹⁴Blotting out the handwriting of the decree that was against us, which was contrary to us. And he hath taken the same out of the way, fastening it to the cross.

¹⁵And despoiling the principalities and powers, he hath exposed them confidently in open shew, triumphing over them in himself.

¹⁶Let no man therefore judge you in meat or in drink or in respect of a festival day or of the new moon or of the sabbaths,

¹⁷Which are a shadow of things to come: but the body is of Christ.

¹⁸Let no man seduce you, willing in humility and religion of angels, walking in the things which he hath not seen, in vain puffed up by the sense of his flesh:

¹⁹And not holding the head, from which the whole body, by joints and bands, being supplied with nourishment and compacted, groweth into the increase of God.

²⁰If then you be dead with Christ from the elements of this world, why do you yet decree as though living in the world?

²¹Touch not: taste not: handle not.

²²Which all are unto destruction by the very use, according to the precepts and doctrines of men.

²³Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in superstition and humility, and not sparing the body; not in any honour to the filling of the flesh.

Chapter 3

Therefore if you be risen with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God.

²Mind the things that are above, not the things that are upon the earth.

³For you are dead: and your life is hid with Christ in God.

⁴When Christ shall appear, who is your life, then you also shall appear with him in glory.

⁵Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth: fornication, uncleanness, lust, evil concupiscence and covetousness, which is the service of idols.

⁶For which things the wrath of God cometh upon the children of unbelief.

⁷In which you also walked some time, when you lived in them.

⁸But now put you also all away: anger, indignation, malice, blasphemy, filthy speech out of your mouth.

⁹Lie not one to another: stripping yourselves of the old man with his deeds,

¹⁰And putting on the new, him who is renewed unto knowledge, according to the image of him that created him.

¹¹Where there is neither Gentile nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian nor Scythian, bond nor free. But Christ is all and in all.

¹²Put ye on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, the bowels of mercy, benignity, humility, modesty, patience:

¹³Bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if any have a complaint against another. Even as the Lord hath forgiven you, so do you also.

¹⁴But above all these things have charity, which is the bond of perfection.

¹⁵And let the peace of Christ rejoice in your hearts, wherein also you are called in one body: and be ye thankful.

¹⁶Let the word of Christ dwell in you abundantly: in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms, hymns and spiritual canticles, singing in grace in your hearts to God.

¹⁷All whatsoever you do in word or in work, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

¹⁸Wives, be subject to your husbands, as it behoveth in the Lord.

¹⁹Husbands, love your wives and be not bitter towards them.

²⁰Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing to the Lord.

²¹Fathers, provoke not your children to indignation, lest they be discouraged.

²²Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh: not serving to the eye, as pleasing men: but in simplicity of heart, fearing God.

²³Whatsoever you do, do it from the heart, as to the Lord, and not to men:

²⁴Knowing that you shall receive of the Lord the reward of inheritance. Serve ye the Lord Christ.

²⁵For he that doth wrong shall receive for that which he hath done wrongfully. And there is no respect of persons with God.

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