COLOSSIANS
Book 51
1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the
will of God, and Timotheus our brother,
1:2 To the saints and faithful brethren in
Christ which are at Colosse: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God
our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
1:3 We give thanks to God and the Father of
our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,
1:4 Since we heard of your faith in Christ
Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints,
1:5 For the hope which is laid up for you
in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the
gospel;
1:6 Which is come unto you, as it is in all
the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the
day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth:
1:7 As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear
fellowservant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ;
1:8 Who also declared unto us your love in
the Spirit.
1:9 For this cause we also, since the day
we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might
be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual
understanding;
1:10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord
unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing
in the knowledge of God;
1:11 Strengthened with all might, according
to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with
joyfulness;
1:12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which
hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in
light:
1:13 Who hath delivered us from the power
of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
1:14 In whom we have redemption through his
blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
1:15 Who is the image of the invisible God,
the firstborn of every creature:
1:16 For by him were all things created,
that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible,
whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers:
all things were created by him, and for him:
1:17 And he is before all things, and by
him all things consist.
1:18 And he is the head of the body, the
church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all
things he might have the preeminence.
1:19 For it pleased the Father that in him
should all fulness dwell;
1:20 And, having made peace through the
blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by
him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.
1:21 And you, that were sometime alienated
and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled
1:22 In the body of his flesh through
death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his
sight:
1:23 If ye continue in the faith grounded
and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which
ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under
heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;
1:24 Who now rejoice in my sufferings for
you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in
my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church:
1:25 Whereof I am made a minister,
according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to
fulfil the word of God;
1:26 Even the mystery which hath been hid
from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his
saints:
1:27 To whom God would make known what is
the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is
Christ in you, the hope of glory:
1:28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and
teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man
perfect in Christ Jesus:
1:29 Whereunto I also labour, striving
according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.
2:1 For I would that ye knew what great
conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as
have not seen my face in the flesh;
2:2 That their hearts might be comforted,
being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance
of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of
the Father, and of Christ;
2:3 In whom are hid all the treasures of
wisdom and knowledge.
2:4 And this I say, lest any man should
beguile you with enticing words.
2:5 For though I be absent in the flesh,
yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and
the stedfastness of your faith in Christ.
2:6 As ye have therefore received Christ
Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:
2:7 Rooted and built up in him, and
stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein
with thanksgiving.
2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through
philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the
rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
2:9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of
the Godhead bodily.
2:10 And ye are complete in him, which is
the head of all principality and power:
2:11 In whom also ye are circumcised with
the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the
sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:
2:12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein
also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God,
who hath raised him from the dead.
2:13 And you, being dead in your sins and
the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him,
having forgiven you all trespasses;
2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of
ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it
out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
2:15 And having spoiled principalities and
powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
2:16 Let no man therefore judge you in
meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or
of the sabbath days:
2:17 Which are a shadow of things to come;
but the body is of Christ.
2:18 Let no man beguile you of your reward
in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into
those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly
mind,
2:19 And not holding the Head, from which
all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and
knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.
2:20 Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ
from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world,
are ye subject to ordinances,
2:21 (Touch not; taste not; handle not;
2:22 Which all are to perish with the
using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?
2:23 Which things have indeed a shew of
wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body: not
in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.
3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek
those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand
of God.
3:2 Set your affection on things above, not
on things on the earth.
3:3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid
with Christ in God.
3:4 When Christ, who is our life, shall
appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
3:5 Mortify therefore your members which
are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection,
evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
3:6 For which things' sake the wrath of God
cometh on the children of disobedience:
3:7 In the which ye also walked some time,
when ye lived in them.
3:8 But now ye also put off all these;
anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your
mouth.
3:9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye
have put off the old man with his deeds;
3:10 And have put on the new man, which is
renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
3:11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew,
circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free:
but Christ is all, and in all.
3:12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God,
holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind,
meekness, longsuffering;
3:13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving
one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ
forgave you, so also do ye.
3:14 And above all these things put on
charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your
hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye
thankful.
3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you
richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms
and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to
the Lord.
3:17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed,
do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the
Father by him.
3:18 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own
husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.
3:19 Husbands, love your wives, and be not
bitter against them.
3:20 Children, obey your parents in all
things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.
3:21 Fathers, provoke not your children to
anger, lest they be discouraged.
3:22 Servants, obey in all things your
masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers;
but in singleness of heart, fearing God;
3:23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily,
as to the Lord, and not unto men;
3:24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall
receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.
3:25 But he that doeth wrong shall receive
for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.
4:1 Masters, give unto your servants that
which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven.
4:2 Continue in prayer, and watch in the
same with thanksgiving;
4:3 Withal praying also for us, that God
would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of
Christ, for which I am also in bonds:
4:4 That I may make it manifest, as I ought
to speak.
4:5 Walk in wisdom toward them that are
without, redeeming the time.
4:6 Let your speech be alway with grace,
seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.
4:7 All my state shall Tychicus declare
unto you, who is a beloved brother, and a faithful minister and
fellowservant in the Lord:
4:8 Whom I have sent unto you for the same
purpose, that he might know your estate, and comfort your hearts;
4:9 With Onesimus, a faithful and beloved
brother, who is one of you. They shall make known unto you all things
which are done here.
4:10 Aristarchus my fellowprisoner saluteth
you, and Marcus, sister's son to Barnabas, (touching whom ye received
commandments: if he come unto you, receive him;)
4:11 And Jesus, which is called Justus, who
are of the circumcision. These only are my fellowworkers unto the
kingdom of God, which have been a comfort unto me.
4:12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant
of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in
prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of
God.
4:13 For I bear him record, that he hath a
great zeal for you, and them that are in Laodicea, and them in
Hierapolis.
4:14 Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas,
greet you.
4:15 Salute the brethren which are in
Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church which is in his house.
4:16 And when this epistle is read among
you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and
that ye likewise read the epistle from Laodicea.
4:17 And say to Archippus, Take heed to the
ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it.
4:18 The salutation by the hand of me Paul.
Remember my bonds. Grace be with you. Amen.
