Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered outside the gate. Therefore, let us go forth to him outside the camp, bearing his reproach. For we have no continuing city here, but we seek one to come.
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¶1. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and brother Timothy.
2. To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
¶3. We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, always praying for you,
4.having heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and love for all the saints,
5.for the hope laid up for you in heaven, about which you heard before by the word of truth, the gospel
6.which has come to you as also to all the world, and it is bearing fruit and growing, as also it has among you from the day you heard and truly understood the grace of God,
7.even as you learned from Epaphras, our beloved fellow slave, who is a faithful minister of Christ for you,
8.and who declared to us your love in the Spirit.
¶9. For this reason also, from the day we heard it, we have not ceased praying for you and making petition that you might be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,
10.that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God,
11.strengthened with all power by His glorious might, unto all perseverance and patience, with joy,
12.giving thanks to the Father who has made us fit to receive a portion of the inheritance of saints in the light,
13.who delivered us from the domain of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of His beloved Son,
14.in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins,
15.who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature,
16.for by him were all things created, things in the heavens and things on earth, things visible and things invisible; whether thrones, or dominions, or rulers, or authorities, all things were created through him and for him,
17.and he is before all things, and all things are held together by him.
18. He is also the head of the body, the Assembly of God; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that in everything, he might be preeminent,
19.because God was pleased for all His fullness to dwell in him,
20.and through him to reconcile all things to Himself, making peace through the blood of his cross – through him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.
21. And you, who by disposition were once alienated and enemies of God with evil deeds, he has now reconciled
22.through death in his fleshly body, to present you holy and faultless and blameless before Him –
23.provided that you continue in the faith, established, and stable, and unmoved from the hope of the gospel which you have heard, which has been preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, was made a minister.
¶24. I am rejoicing now in these sufferings for you because in my flesh, I am filling up what is lacking of the afflictions of Christ for his body, which is the Assembly of God,
25.for which I was made a minister by the commission of God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God,
26.the mystery that was hidden from the Aeons and from generations of men, but now is revealed to His saints,
27.by whom God has willed to make known among the Gentiles what is the richness of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory,
28.whom we proclaim, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom so that we might present to God every man perfect in Christ Jesus,
29.for which I also labor, striving with His strength, which works in me with power.
¶1. I want to make you aware of how difficult a struggle I am having for you, and for those in Laodicea, and for all who have not seen my face in the flesh,
2.that their hearts may be comforted, knit together with love until they attain to all the richness that comes from the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, even the Father, and of Christ,
3.in whom all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden.
4. I am saying this so that no one will be able to beguile you with specious argument.
5. For even though I am absent in body, I am with you in spirit, rejoicing and beholding your order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.
¶6. Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him,
7.rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.
¶8. Beware, lest someone carry you away with philosophy, or empty deceit, following human tradition based on the elements of the world and not based on Christ,
9.for in him dwells all the fullness of God’s nature, bodily,
10.and you are complete in him who is the head of every ruler and authority,
11.in whom you also are circumcised with a circumcision performed without hands, in the removal of the nature of the flesh given to sins, by the circumcision of Christ,
12.buried with him in baptism, in which you also are raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.
13. And you, being dead in transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made alive with him, forgiving us of all transgressions,
14.after he had blotted out that which was against us, the handwriting of ordinances that was contrary to us, removing it from between us when he nailed it to the cross,
15.by which, stripping the rulers and authorities, he exposed them publicly, leading them along in a Triumph.
¶16. Therefore, do not allow anyone to condemn you in matters of eating or drinking, or in regard to a feast, or a new moon, or a Sabbath,
17.which are a shadow of things to come, but the reality is of Christ.
18. Let no one rob you of the prize by a self-willed humility and worship of the angels, going on in detail about things he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his carnal mind,
19.and not clinging to the head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by joints and ligaments, increases with the increase of God.
¶20. If you are dead with Christ to the elements of the world, why then, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to ordinances, such as
21.“Do not touch! Do not taste! Do not handle!”
22.(all which things are intended for destruction by being used) after the commandments and doctrines of men?
23. Such things, though having an appearance of wisdom in a self-willed religion, humility, and abuse of the body are of no value to anyone in opposing gratification of the flesh.
¶1. If, therefore, you be raised up with Christ, seek things that are above, where Christ is sitting at God’s right hand.
2. Keep your minds on things above, not on things on the earth.
3. For you are dead, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
4. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then you shall also appear with him in glory.
¶5. So, put to death your members that are of the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, wicked lust, and covetousness (which is idolatry),
6.because of which things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.
7. You once also walked in those things when you lived among them.
8. And put away all these things as well: anger, rage, malice, slander, filthy talk from your mouth.
9. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his ways,
10.and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge in the likeness of the One who created him,
11.where there is no Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, slave, free. No! Christ is everything and in everyone.
¶12. Therefore, as chosen people of God, holy and loved, clothe yourselves with tender feelings, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience,
13.putting up with one another and forgiving each other (if anyone has a complaint against someone); as Christ also forgave you, so you forgive.
14. And over all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.
15. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, for which also you were called out into one body; and be thankful.
16. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing yourselves, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your heart to the Lord.
17. And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
¶18. Wives, be submissive to your own husbands, as is appropriate in the Lord.
19. Husbands, love your wives and do not be embittered against them.
20. Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing to the Lord.
21. Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they be discouraged.
22. Slaves, obey your earthly masters in all things, not with eye-service, like men-pleasers, but with heartfelt sincerity, fearing God,
23.and whatever you do, work at it whole-heartedly, as to the Lord and not to men,
24.knowing that from the Lord you shall receive the reward of an inheritance, for you are working as slaves to the Master, Christ.
25. And he who does wrong shall be recompensed for what he has wrongly done, and there is no respect of persons.
¶1. Masters, treat slaves justly and fairly, knowing that you, too, have a Master in heaven.
¶2. Continue steadfastly in prayer, watching in it with thanksgiving,
3.at the same time praying also for us, that God will open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ (for which also I am put in bonds),
4.that I make it clear, as I ought to speak.
5. Walk in wisdom toward those outside the faith, making the most of the time.
6. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, knowing how you should respond to each one.
¶7. Tychicus, a dear brother, and a faithful minister, and fellow-slave in the Lord, will inform you concerning all my affairs,
8.whom I have sent to you for the same purpose (that he might learn of your affairs and encourage your hearts),
9.along with the faithful and beloved brother, Onesimus, who is one of you. They will make all things here known to you.
¶10. Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, greets you, as well as Marcus, Barnabas’ cousin (concerning whom you received instructions, that if he comes to you, welcome him),
11.and Jesus, who is called Justus, who are my only fellow-laborers from the circumcision for the kingdom of God, which men have been a comfort to me.
12. Epaphras, who is one of you, a slave of Christ, greets you, always laboring earnestly in prayers for you, that you might stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.
13. I bear him witness, that he has much zeal for you, and for those who are in Laodicea, and for those in Hieropolis.
14. Luke, the beloved physician, greets you, and Demas.
15. Greet the brothers at Laodicea, and Nymphas and the Assembly in his house.
16. And when this letter has been read among you, make sure that it is also read in the Assembly at Laodicea, and then you read the letter from Laodicea, too.
17. And you all must tell Archippus, “Take heed to the ministry that you have received from the Lord, that you fulfill it.”
¶18. The salutation by my own hand, Paul. Remember my bonds. Grace be with you. Amen.