Colossians 2–4

Chapter 2

You Are Built Up in Christ

1 For I want you to know how great a astruggle I have on your behalf and for those who are at bLaodicea, and for all those who have not 1personally seen my face,

2 that their ahearts may be encouraged, having been bknit together in love, and attaining to all cthe wealth 1that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a dtrue knowledge of eGod’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself,

3 in whom are hidden all athe treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

4 aI say this so that no one will delude you with bpersuasive argument.

5 For even though I am aabsent in body, nevertheless I am with you in spirit, rejoicing 1to see 2your bgood discipline and the cstability of your faith in Christ.

6 Therefore as you have received aChrist Jesus the Lord, so 1bwalk in Him,

7 having been firmly arooted and now being bbuilt up in Him and cestablished 1in your faith, just as you dwere instructed, and overflowing 2with gratitude.

8 aSee to it that no one takes you captive through bphilosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the celementary principles of the world, 1rather than according to Christ.

9 For in Him all the afullness of Deity dwells in bodily form,

10 and in Him you have been amade 1complete, and bHe is the head 2over all crule and authority;

11 and in Him ayou were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of bthe body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ;

12 having been aburied with Him in baptism, in which you were also braised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who craised Him from the dead.

13 When you were adead 1in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He bmade you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions,

14 having canceled out athe certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and bHe has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.

15 When He had 1adisarmed the brulers and authorities, He amade a public display of them, having ctriumphed over them through 2Him.

16 Therefore no one is to 1aact as your judge in regard to bfood or bdrink or in respect to a cfestival or a dnew moon or a eSabbath 2day—

17 things which are aa mere shadow of what is to come; but the 1substance 2belongs to Christ.

18 Let no one keep 1adefrauding you of your prize by bdelighting in 2self-abasement and the worship of the angels, 3taking his stand on visions he has seen, 4cinflated without cause by his dfleshly mind,

19 and not holding fast to athe head, from whom bthe entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and 1ligaments, grows with a growth 2which is from God.

20 aIf you have died with Christ 1to the belementary principles of the world, cwhy, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to ddecrees, such as,

21 “Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!”

22 (which all refer ato things destined to perish 1with use)—in accordance with the bcommandments and teachings of men?

23 These are matters which have, to be sure, the 1appearance of wisdom in 2aself-made religion and self-abasement and bsevere treatment of the body, but are of no value against cfleshly indulgence.

Chapter 3

Put On the New Self

1 Therefore if you have been araised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, bseated at the right hand of God.

2 1aSet your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.

3 For you have adied and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

4 When Christ, awho is our life, is revealed, bthen you also will be revealed with Him in glory.

5 aTherefore 1consider bthe members of your earthly body as dead to 2cimmorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which 3amounts to idolatry.

6 For it is because of these things that athe wrath of God will come 1upon the sons of disobedience,

7 and ain them you also once walked, when you were living 1in them.

8 But now you also, aput them all aside: banger, wrath, malice, slander, and cabusive speech from your mouth.

9 1aDo not lie to one another, since you blaid aside the old 2self with its evil practices,

10 and have aput on the new self who is being 1brenewed to a true knowledge caccording to the image of the One who dcreated him—

11 a renewal in which athere is no distinction between Greek and Jew, bcircumcised and uncircumcised, cbarbarian, Scythian, dslave and freeman, but eChrist is all, and in all.

12 So, as those who have been achosen of God, holy and beloved, bput on a cheart of compassion, kindness, dhumility, gentleness and 1epatience;

13 abearing with one another, and bforgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; bjust as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.

14 Beyond all these things put on love, which is 1athe perfect bond of bunity.

15 Let athe peace of Christ 1rule in your hearts, to which 2indeed you were called in bone body; and 3be thankful.

16 Let athe word of 1Christ richly dwell within you, 2with all wisdom bteaching and admonishing 3one another cwith psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, dsinging 4with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

17 aWhatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, bgiving thanks through Him to God the Father.

Family Relations

18 aWives, bbe subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.

19 aHusbands, love your wives and do not be embittered against them.

20 aChildren, be obedient to your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing 1to the Lord.

21 aFathers, do not exasperate your children, so that they will not lose heart.

22 aSlaves, in all things obey those who are your masters 1on earth, bnot with 2external service, as those who merely please men, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.

23 Whatever you do, do your work 1heartily, aas for the Lord 2rather than for men,

24 aknowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward 1of bthe inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you cserve.

25 For ahe who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and 1bthat without partiality.

Chapter 4

Fellow Workers

1 Masters, grant to your slaves justice and fairness, aknowing that you too have a Master in heaven.

2 aDevote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving;

3 praying at the same time afor us as well, that God will open up to us a bdoor for cthe word, so that we may speak forth dthe mystery of Christ, for which I have also ebeen imprisoned;

4 that I may make it clear ain the way I ought to speak.

5 1aConduct yourselves with wisdom toward boutsiders, 2cmaking the most of the opportunity.

6 aLet your speech always be 1with grace, as though seasoned with bsalt, so that you will know how you should crespond to each person.

7 aAs to all my affairs, bTychicus, our cbeloved brother and faithful servant and fellow bond-servant in the Lord, will bring you information.

8 aFor I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know about our circumstances and that he may bencourage your hearts;

9 1and with him aOnesimus, our faithful and bbeloved brother, cwho is one of your number. They will inform you about the whole situation here.

10 aAristarchus, my bfellow prisoner, sends you his greetings; and also cBarnabas’s cousin Mark (about whom you received 1instructions; dif he comes to you, welcome him);

11 and also Jesus who is called Justus; these are the only afellow workers for the kingdom of God bwho are from the circumcision, and they have proved to be an encouragement to me.

12 aEpaphras, bwho is one of your number, a bondslave of Jesus Christ, sends you his greetings, always claboring earnestly for you in his prayers, that you may 1stand 2dperfect and 3fully assured in all the will of God.

13 For I testify for him that he has 1a deep concern for you and for those who are in aLaodicea and Hierapolis.

14 aLuke, the beloved physician, sends you his greetings, and also bDemas.

15 Greet the brethren who are in aLaodicea and also 1Nympha and bthe church that is in 2her house.

16 aWhen 1this letter is read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and you, for your part aread 1my letter that is coming from bLaodicea.

17 Say to aArchippus, “Take heed to the bministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may 1fulfill it.”

18 1I, Paul, awrite this greeting with my own hand. bRemember my 2cimprisonment. dGrace be with you.