Colossians 2–4

Not Philosophy But Christ

2For 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, ²that 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, ^3bin whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

⁴Now this I say ^clest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words. ⁵For ^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.

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

⁸Beware 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. ⁹For ^kin Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead ⁶bodily; ¹⁰and you are complete in Him, who is the ^lhead of all ⁷principality and power.

Not Legalism But Christ

¹¹In Him you were also ^mcircumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by ⁿputting off the body ⁸of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, ^12oburied with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through ^pfaith in the working of God, ^qwho raised Him from the dead. ¹³And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, ^14rhaving wiped out the ⁹handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. ^15sHaving disarmed ^tprincipalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.

¹⁶So let no one ^ujudge you in food or in drink, or regarding a ¹festival or a new moon or sabbaths, ^17vwhich are a shadow of things to come, but the ²substance is of Christ. ¹⁸Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has ³not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, ¹⁹and not holding fast to ^wthe Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, ^xgrows with the increase that is from God.

²⁰⁴Therefore, if you ^ydied with Christ from the basic principles of the world, ^zwhy, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations—^21a“Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,” ²²which all concern things which perish with the using—^baccording to the commandments and doctrines of men? ^23cThese things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and ⁵neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.

Not Carnality But Christ

3If then you were ^araised with Christ, seek those things which are above, ^bwhere Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. ²Set your mind on things above, not on things on the ^cearth. ^3dFor you died, ^eand your life is hidden with Christ in God. ^4fWhen Christ who is ^gour life appears, then you also will appear with Him in ^hglory.

⁵ⁱTherefore put to death ^jyour members which are on the earth: ^kfornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, ^lwhich is idolatry. ^6mBecause of these things the wrath of God is coming upon ⁿthe sons of disobedience, ^7oin which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.

^8pBut now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. ⁹Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, ¹⁰and have put on the new man who ^qis renewed in knowledge ^raccording to the image of Him who ^screated him, ¹¹where there is neither ^tGreek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, ^ubut Christ is all and in all.

Character of the New Man

¹²Therefore, ^vas the elect of God, holy and beloved, ^wput on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; ^13xbearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. ^14yBut above all these things ^zput on love, which is the ^abond of perfection. ¹⁵And let ^bthe peace of God rule in your hearts, ^cto which also you were called ^din one body; and ^ebe thankful. ¹⁶Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another ^fin psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. ¹⁷And ^gwhatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

The Christian Home

^18hWives, submit to your own husbands, ⁱas is fitting in the Lord.

^19jHusbands, love your wives and do not be ^kbitter toward them.

^20lChildren, obey your parents ^min all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord.

²¹ⁿFathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.

^22oBondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God. ^23pAnd whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, ^24qknowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; ^rfor ¹you serve the Lord Christ. ²⁵But he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done, and ^sthere is no partiality.

4Masters, ^agive your bondservants what is just and fair, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.

Christian Graces

^2bContinue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it ^cwith thanksgiving; ^3dmeanwhile praying also for us, that God would ^eopen to us a door for the word, to speak ^fthe ¹mystery of Christ, ^gfor which I am also in chains, ⁴that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.

^5hWalk in ⁱwisdom toward those who are outside, ^jredeeming the time. ⁶Let your speech always be ^kwith grace, ^lseasoned with salt, ^mthat you may know how you ought to answer each one.

Final Greetings

⁷ⁿTychicus, a beloved brother, faithful minister, and fellow servant in the Lord, will tell you all the news about me. ^8oI am sending him to you for this very purpose, that ²he may know your circumstances and comfort your hearts, ⁹with ^pOnesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will make known to you all things which are happening here.

^10qAristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, with ^rMark the cousin of Barnabas (about whom you received instructions: if he comes to you, welcome him), ¹¹and Jesus who is called Justus. These are my only fellow workers for the kingdom of God who are of the circumcision; they have proved to be a comfort to me.

^12sEpaphras, who is one of you, a bondservant of Christ, greets you, always ^tlaboring fervently for you in prayers, that you may stand ^uperfect and ³complete in all the will of God. ¹³For I bear him witness that he has a great ⁴zeal for you, and those who are in Laodicea, and those in Hierapolis. ^14vLuke the beloved physician and ^wDemas greet you. ¹⁵Greet the brethren who are in Laodicea, and ⁵Nymphas and ^xthe church that is in ⁶his house.

Closing Exhortations and Blessing

¹⁶Now when ^ythis epistle is read among you, see that it is read also in the church of the Laodiceans, and that you likewise read the epistle from Laodicea. ¹⁷And say to ^zArchippus, “Take heed to ^athe ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it.”

^18bThis salutation by my own hand—Paul. ^cRemember my chains. Grace be with you. Amen.