Chapter 1

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

1:2  To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father.

1:3  We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you,

1:4  since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which you have for all the saints;

1:5  because of the hope reserved for you in heaven, of which you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel

1:6  which has come to you, just as in all the world also it is bearing fruit and increasing just as it does also among you since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth;

1:7  just as you learned it from Epaphras, our beloved fellow slave who is a faithful minister of Christ on our  behalf,

1:8  who also told us of your love in the Spirit.

1:9  For this reason we also, since the day we heard, have not ceased praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,

1:10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord to please him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;

1:11 being strengthened with all power, according to his  glorious might, for all perseverance and patience; with joy 

1:12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.

1:13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and  transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,

1:14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

1:15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of  all creation:

1:16 for in him all things were created, in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.

1:17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold  together.

1:18 He is also the head of the body, the church; and he is  the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he  himself will come to have preeminence in everything.

1:19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,

1:20 and through him to reconcile all things to himself, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of his cross.

1:21 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, as expressed by evil deeds,

1:22 yet he has now reconciled you in his body of flesh through death, to present you holy, without blemish, and blameless before him—

1:23 if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under    heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.

1:24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church,

1:25  of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to to fulfill the word of God–

1:26 the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints.

1:27 To them God chose to make known what are the glorious riches of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

1:28 Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ.

1:29 For this purpose I also labor, striving according to his power that powerfully works in me. 

Chapter 2

2:1  For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen my face in the flesh,

2:2  that their hearts may be encouraged, having been instructed in love, and that they would attain to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, to full knowledge (epignosis) of the mystery of God, namely, Christ,

2:3  in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

2:4  I say this so that no one will deceive you with persuasive arguments.

2:5 For even though I am absent in body, yet I am  with you in spirit, rejoicing and seeing your good order and the firmness of your faith. 

2:6  Therefore, as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord,continue to walk in him,

2:7  having been firmly rooted and now being built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with thanksgiving.

2:8 See to it that there is no one who takes you captive through an empty, deceitful philosophy and empty deception according to human tradition, and the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.

2:9  For in him all the fullness of deity lives in bodily form,

2:10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head over every ruler and authority;

2:11 and in him you were also circumcised with a circumcision performed without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ,

2:12 having been buried with him in baptism, in him you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. 

2:13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, he made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,

2:14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he removed, nailing it to the cross.

2:15 Disarming the rulers and authorities, he has put them to open shame by triumphing over them in him. 

2:16 Therefore, let no one judge you in food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath.

2:17  These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.

2:18 Let no one condemn you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, what he claims to have seen,conceited without cause by his fleshly mind,

2:19 and not holding fast to the head from whom the whole body being supplied and held together by the joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.

2:20 If you have died with Christ to the elemental spirits

of the world, why do you submit to them as though living in the world? 

2:21 “Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!”

2:22 (which all perish as they are used) in accordance with the commandments and teachings of man?

2:23 Even though they have the appearance of wisdom with their self-made religion and asceticism and severe treatment of the body, but they are of no real value against  indulgence of the flesh.

Chapter 3

3:1  Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.

3:2  Think on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.

3:3  For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

3:4  When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

3:5  Therefore, put to death the members of your body upon the earth: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.

3:6  Because of these things the wrath of God is coming on the sons of disobedience.

3:7  In these you too once walked, when you were living in them.

3:8  But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.

3:9  Do not lie to one another, since you stripped off the old self with its practices 

3:10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed to a full knowledge (epignosis) according to the image of the one who created him,

3:11 where there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.

3:12 Therefore, put on as the elect of God, holy and beloved, hearts of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience;

3:13 bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.

3:14 And above all these things put on love, which is a bond of perfection. 

3:15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.

3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, with grace in your hearts to God. 

3:17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.

3:18 Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.

3:19 Husbands, love your wives and do not be embittered against them.

3:20 Children, be obedient to your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing in the Lord.

3:21 Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.

3:22 Slaves, in all things obey those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.

3:23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,

3:24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. Serve the Lord Christ.

3:25 For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality. 

Chapter 4 

4:1  Masters, treat your slaves justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.

4:2  Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving,

4:3  praying at the same time for us also, that God will open up to us a door for the word, to proclaim the mystery    of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned;

4:4  that I may make it [the mystery] known as I ought to speak.

4:5  Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time.

4:6  Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.

4:7  Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithful minister and    fellow slave in the Lord will tell you all about my activities.

4:8  I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are and that he may encourage your hearts,

4:9  and with him Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you about everything here.

4:10 Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, and Mark the cousin of Barnabas (concerning whom you have received instructions—if he comes to you, welcome him),

4:11 and Jesus who is called Justus; these are the only fellow workers for the kingdom of God who are from the circumcision, and they have proved to be an encouragement to me.

4:12  Epaphras, who is one of you, a slave of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God.

4:13 For I can testify for him that he has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea and in Hierapolis.

4:14 Luke the beloved physician greets you, as does Demas.

4:15  Greet the brothers who are in Laodicea and also Nympha and the church that is in her house.

4:16 And when this letter has been read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you also read the letter from Laodicea.

4:17 And tell Archippus, “See to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, so that you fulfill it.”

4:18 I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.