Epistle to the Colossians

Paul, (the) apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, and Timotheos the brother,

to the saints who are in Kolassais, and faithful brethren who are in Christ Jesus: (the) grace to you and (the) peace from God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.

We give thanks to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, always for you praying,

having heard of your faith which is in the Lord Jesus, and the love which is in you unto all the saints,

because of the hope which is laid up before you in the heavens, which ye heard before in (the) word of the truth of the Gospel

This which is (won) in you; according as also it is in all the world, bearing fruit and growing, according as also in you, from the day which ye heard and ye knew the grace of God in [a] truth;

according as ye knew from Epaphra the beloved fellow servant of ours, who is a faithful minister of Christ for you.

He (lit. this) who showed to us your love in the spirit.

Therefore we also, from the day which we heard, cease not praying for you and requesting, that ye might be filled with (the) knowledge of his will in all wisdom, and all spiritual understanding,

walking worthily of the Lord in all pleasing of him in all good works, sending forth fruit, and growing in the knowledge of God;

being empowered with all power, according to (the) strength of his glory, in all patience and [a] longsuffering in [a] joy.

Giving thanks to the Father, he (lit. this) who made us worthy of coming into the portion of the lot of the saints in (the) light;

he who saved us from (the) authority of (the) darkness, and he removed us into the kingdom of (the) Son of his love;

he through whom we received the redemption, the forgiveness of our sins:

who is (the) image of God, the invisible, the firstborn of all creation.

Because in him all things were created, those which are in the heavens and those which are upon (the) earth, those which are seen and those which are not seen, whether the thrones, or the dominions, or the governments, or the authorities; all things became through him, and they were created unto him;

and he (it is) who is before all things, and all things stand in him.

And he is (the) head of the body of the church: who himself is the beginning as (Fi) firstborn from them who are dead; that he might be first in all things.

Because in him the whole fulness was pleased to dwell [in him];

and through him to reconcile all things unto him, having made them at peace through the blood of his cross; through him (or it '), whether the things which are upon (the) earth or the things which are in the heavens.

And ye also once were being strangers (sing.) and enemies in your thoughts, in the evil works,

but now he reconciled you in (the) body of his flesh through his death, to present you holy and being without spot and blameless before him.

If ye abide in the faith, being firmly founded, and strong, and immovable from the hope of the Gospel; this which ye heard; this which was proclaimed in the whole creation which is below (the) heaven; this to which I Paul became minister.

But now I rejoice in the pains for you, and I complete the deficiencies of the tribulations of Christ in my flesh for his body, which is the church;

this to which I (pron.) became minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me unto you, to complete the word of God,

the mystery hidden since (the) age and the generations: but now it was manifested to the saints of his,

to whom God wished to show what is the riches of (the) glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of (the) glory:

he whom we (pron.) proclaim, instructing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present all men complete in Christ;

he in whom I toil, striving according to his working in me. in [a] power.

For I wish you to know how great a striving I have for you, and them who are in Laodikia, and all who saw not my face in (the) flesh,

that their hearts may take courage, being instructed through [a] reasoning, in [a] love and all riches of (the) fulness of their (lit. his) understanding, unto (the) knowledge of the mystery of God the Father of Christ,

he in whom (are) all the treasures of the wisdom and the hidden knowledge.

But this I say, that no one may deceive you in beautiful words.

For if I am not with you in (the) flesh, [but] I am with you in the spirit, rejoicing and seeing your order, and the firmness of your faith which is in Christ.

As then ye received Christ Jesus, walk in him,

taking root, and building yourselves in him, and being confirmed in the faith, according as ye were instructed, abounding in it in [a] thanksgiving.

See, then, lest by any means there is he who robbeth you through a philosophy and a vain. deceit, according to the traditions of the men, according to the elements of the world, and not according to Christ:

because in him dwelleth all the fulness of the divinity bodily,

and ye are filled with him, Who himself is (the) head of all government and all authority:

he in whom ye were circumcised in a circumcision not made with hand, in (the) stripping off of (the) body of the flesh, in (the) circumcision of Christ;

having been buried with him in the baptism, this in which ye rose with him also through the faith of the working ,of God, he who raised him from them who are dead.

And ye also being dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, he made you alive with him, having forgiven. us all our transgressions,

having blotted out the handwriting [this] which was being [given] against us in the decrees, that which was opposing us; and it (pron.) he took away from (the) midst, having nailed it into the cross.

Having stripped from himself the governments and the authorities, having defamed them openly, having made them a spectacle in it.

Let not any one then judge you in [an] eating and [a] drinking, or in respect (lit. a part) of a feast, or a first day (of month), or of sabbaths:

which is (the) shadow of the things which come. But the body of Christ

let not any one overcome you in it, wishing in a humbleness of heart and a service of the angels: he took his stands on the things which he saw, being proud without cause by (the) heart of his flesh,

and he layeth not hold on the head from whom is the whole body, being supplied through the joints and the bonds, and being generated it will grow in the growth of God.

If ye died with Christ from the elements of the world, why reckon ye yourselves as those a living in the world?

Take not, nor taste, nor approach

to all things which are for (the) destruction, so as not to use them: according to the orders and the teaching of [the] men;

which are things in which there is a show indeed of [a] wisdom in (the) wish of a service, and a humbleness of heart, and an unsparingness of (e) the body, not in [an] honour, in [a] satisfying of (the) flesh.

If then ye rose with Christ, seek for the things above the place in which Christ was, sitting on the right hand of God.

Think of the things above, not those which are upon (the) earth.

For ye died, and your life (is) hidden with Christ in God.

If Christ should be manifested, your life, then ye also are being manifested with him in [a] glory.

Kill your members which are upon the earth; [the] fornication, [the] uncleanness, [the] passion, [the] evil desire, and the wrongdoing, which is the idolatry;

the things because of which cometh the anger of God upon the sons of the disobedience;

these in which ye also were walking once when living in these.

But now put away (lit. down) also everything, [the] anger, [the] wrath, [the] malice, [the] blasphemy; [the] empty words let them not come from your mouth;

say not falsehood to one another; Having stripped from you the old man with his doing,

and ye clothed you with the new man, he who will become new in [a] knowledge, according to (the) image of him who created him:

the place in which there is not Greek and a Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Skythos, servant, and freeman: but (a.) all things in all, Christ.

Clothe you then as chosen of God, holy and beloved, with tender mercies of [a] compassion, [a] kindness, [a] humbleness of heart, [a] meekness, [a] longsuffering.

Bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if there is a quarrel between one and another (lit. one); according as Christ' forgave you, thus ye also:

but upon all these things [the] love which is the girdle of [the] completeness.

And the peace of Christ let it he established in your hearts, this unto which ye were called in one body; And be ye thankful.

The word of the Lord let it dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and instructing yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, praising God in your hearts in thanksgiving.

And all things which ye will do in (the) word or in (the) work, (do) all things in (the) name of our Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

[The] wives be subject to your husbands, as it is worthy in the Lord.

[The] men, love your wives, and be not angry against them.

[The] children, obey your parents in all things, for this is pleasing to the Lord.

[The] fathers, anger not your children, that they may not be grieved.

[The] servants, obey your masters according to flesh in all things; not with an eyeservice, as pleasers of [the] men, but in [a] singleness of your heart, as fearing the Lord:

that which ye will do, from your soul work, as doing (it) to the Lord, and not man;

knowing that ye will receive (the) retribution of the inheritance from the Lord: be servants of Christ Jesus our Lord.

For he who doeth wrong will receive his wrongdoing which he did; and there is not regard of persons with him.

[The] masters give (lit. do) a just judgement and be fair with your servants, knowing that your Master also is in the heavens.

Be continuing in the prayer, watching in it in [a] thanksgiving;

praying therewith also for us indeed, that God may open to us a door of the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, this because of which I am bound;

that I may manifest it according as it is worthy that I should speak.

Walk in [a] wisdom toward them who are outside, buying the time:

your word always in [a] grace, seasoned in [a] salt, to know how it is worthy for you to answer each one.

All the things which happen to me Tichikos shall show them to you, the beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord.

He whom I sent to you unto this work, that he may know your state, and comfort your hearts;

with Onēsimos the faithful and beloved brother, he who is one of you. They shall show to you all things which are here.

Saluteth you Aristarchos my fellow captive, and Markos (the) cousin of Barnabas, he concerning whom ye received commandment; if he should come to you, receive him,

and Jēsous who is called 'Joustos.' These who are from (the) circumcision; these only shared in working unto the kingdom of God; these who became comfort to me.

Saluteth you Epaphras, who is one of you, (the) servant of Christ Jesus; he who striveth always for you in his prayers, that ye may stand complete and full in the will of God.

For I witness of him, that he hath a great grief for you, and them who are in Laodikia, and them who are in Jerapolis.

Saluteth you Loukas the beloved physician, and Dēmas.

Salute the brethren who are in Laodikia and Nimphan, and the church of their house.

And if this epistle should be read with you, let it be read in the church of Laodikia, and (the epistle) from Laodikia (see) that ye (pron.) may read it.

And say to Archēppos: 'Look forth to the ministry which thou receivedst in the Lord, that thou fill it.

My salutation, in my own hand, Paul. Remember my bonds. (The) grace with you.