1This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from our brother Timothy.G3972G652G2424G5547G1223G2307G2316G2532G5095G80 2We are writing to God's holy people in the city of Colosse, who are faithful brothers and sisters in Christ. May God our Father give you grace and peace.G40G2532G4103G80G1722G5547G1722G2857G5485G5213G2532G1515G575G2316G2257G3962G2532G2962G2424G5547 3We always pray for you, and we give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.G2168G2316G2532G3962G2257G2962G2424G5547G4336G3842G4012G5216 4For we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and your love for all of God's people,G191G5216G4102G1722G5547G2424G2532G26G3588G1519G3956G40 5which come from your confident hope of what God has reserved for you in heaven. You have had this expectation ever since you first heard the truth of the Good News.G1223G1680G3588G606G5213G1722G3772G3739G4257G1722G3056G225G2098 6This same Good News that came to you is going out all over the world. It is bearing fruit everywhere by changing lives, just as it changed your lives from the day you first heard and understood the truth about God's wonderful grace.G3588G3918G1519G5209G2531G2532G1722G3956G2889G2532G2076G2592G2531G2532G1722G5213G575G3739G2250G191G2532G1921G5485G2316G1722G225 7You learned about the Good News from Epaphras, our beloved co-worker. He is Christ's faithful servant, and he is helping us on your behalf.G2531G3129G2532G3129G575G1889G2257G27G4889G3739G2076G5228G5216G4103G1249G5547 8He has told us about the love for others that the Holy Spirit has given you.G3588G2532G1213G2254G5216G26G1722G4151 9So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding.G1223G5124G2249G2532G575G3739G2250G191G3973G3756G3973G4336G5228G5216G2532G154G2443G4137G1922G846G2307G1722G3956G4678G2532G4152G4907 10Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better.G5209G4043G516G2962G1519G3956G699G2592G1722G3956G18G2041G2532G837G1519G1922G2316 11We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy,G1412G1722G3956G1411G2596G846G1391G2904G1519G3956G5281G2532G3115G3326G5479 12always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light.G2168G3962G3588G2427G2248G2427G1519G3310G2819G40G1722G5457 13For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son,G3739G4506G2248G1537G1849G4655G2532G3179G1519G932G846G26G5207 14who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.G1722G3739G2192G629G1223G846G129G859G266 15Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation,G3739G2076G1504G517G2316G4416G3956G2937 16for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can't see—such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him.G3754G1722G846G2936G3956G2936G1722G3772G2532G1909G1093G3707G2532G517G1535G2362G1535G2963G1535G746G1535G1849G3956G2936G1223G846G2532G1519G846 17He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together.G2532G846G2076G4253G3956G2532G1722G846G3956G4921 18Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead. So he is first in everything.G2532G846G2076G2776G4983G1577G3739G2076G746G4416G1537G3498G2443G1722G3956G846G1096G4409 19For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ,G2106G3754G1722G846G2730G3956G4138G2730 20and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ's blood on the cross.G2532G1517G1223G129G846G4716G1223G846G604G3956G1519G846G1223G846G1535G1909G1093G1535G1722G3772 21This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions.G2532G5209G5607G4218G526G2532G2190G1271G1722G4190G2041G1161G3570G604 22Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.G1722G4983G846G4561G1223G2288G3936G5209G40G2532G299G2532G410G846G2714 23But you must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it. Don't drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News. The Good News has been preached all over the world, and I, Paul, have been appointed as God's servant to proclaim it.G1489G1961G4102G2311G2532G1476G2532G3361G3334G575G1680G2098G3739G191G3588G2784G1722G3956G2937G5259G3772G3739G1473G3972G1096G1249 24I am glad when I suffer for you in my body, for I am participating in the sufferings of Christ that continue for his body, the church.G3739G3568G5463G1722G3450G3804G5228G5216G2532G466G5303G2347G5547G1722G3450G4561G5228G846G4983G5228G3603G1577 25God has given me the responsibility of serving his church by proclaiming his entire message to you.G3739G1473G1096G1249G2596G3622G2316G3588G1325G3427G1519G5209G4137G3056G2316 26This message was kept secret for centuries and generations past, but now it has been revealed to God's people.G3466G3588G613G575G165G2532G575G1074G1161G3570G5319G846G40 27For God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory.G3739G2316G2309G1107G5101G4149G1391G5127G3466G1722G1484G3739G2076G5547G1722G5213G1680G1391 28So we tell others about Christ, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all the wisdom God has given us. We want to present them to God, perfect in their relationship to Christ.G3739G2249G2605G3560G3956G444G2532G1321G3956G444G1722G3956G4678G2443G3936G3956G444G5046G1722G5547G2424 29That's why I work and struggle so hard, depending on Christ's mighty power that works within me.G1519G3739G2872G2532G2872G75G2596G846G1753G3588G1754G1722G1698G1722G1411
2I want you to know how much I have agonized for you and for the church at Laodicea, and for many other believers who have never met me personally.G1063G2309G5209G1492G2245G73G2192G4012G5216G2532G1722G2993G2532G3745G3708G3756G3708G3450G4383G1722G4561 2I want them to be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love. I want them to have complete confidence that they understand God's mysterious plan, which is Christ himself.G2443G846G2588G3870G4822G1722G26G2532G1519G3956G4149G4136G4907G1519G1922G3466G2316G2532G3962G2532G5547 3In him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.G1722G3739G1526G614G3956G2344G4678G2532G1108 4I am telling you this so no one will deceive you with well-crafted arguments.G1161G5124G3004G3363G5100G3884G5209G1722G4086 5For though I am far away from you, my heart is with you. And I rejoice that you are living as you should and that your faith in Christ is strong.G1063G1499G548G4561G235G1510G4862G5213G4151G5463G2532G991G5216G5010G2532G4733G5216G4102G1519G5547 6And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him.G5613G3880G3767G3880G5547G2424G2962G4043G1722G846 7Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.G4492G2532G2026G1722G846G2532G950G1722G4102G2531G1321G4052G1722G846G1722G2169 8Don't let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ.G991G3361G5100G2071G4812G5209G1223G5385G2532G2756G539G2596G3862G444G2596G4747G2889G2532G3756G2596G5547 9For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body.G3754G1722G846G2730G3956G4138G2320G4985 10So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.G2532G2075G4137G1722G846G3739G2076G2776G3956G746G2532G1849 11When you came to Christ, you were "circumcised," but not by a physical procedure. Christ performed a spiritual circumcision—the cutting away of your sinful nature.G1722G3739G2532G4059G4061G886G1722G555G4983G266G4561G1722G4061G5547 12For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead.G4916G846G1722G908G1722G3739G2532G4891G1223G4102G1753G2316G3588G1453G846G1537G3498 13You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins.G2532G5209G5607G3498G1722G3900G2532G203G5216G4561G4806G4862G846G5483G5213G3956G3900 14He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross.G1813G5498G1378G2596G2257G3739G2258G5227G2254G2532G142G846G1537G3319G4338G846G4716 15In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.G554G746G2532G1849G1165G1722G3954G2358G846G1722G846 16So don't let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new moon ceremonies or Sabbaths.G2919G3361G5100G3767G2919G5209G1722G1035G2228G1722G4213G2228G1722G3313G1859G2228G3561G2228G4521 17For these rules are only shadows of the reality yet to come. And Christ himself is that reality.G3739G2076G4639G3195G1161G4983G5547 18Don't let anyone condemn you by insisting on pious self-denial or the worship of angels, saying they have had visions about these things. Their sinful minds have made them proud,G2603G3367G2603G5209G2603G1722G2309G5012G2532G2356G32G1687G3739G3708G3361G3708G1500G5448G5259G846G4561G3563 19and they are not connected to Christ, the head of the body. For he holds the whole body together with its joints and ligaments, and it grows as God nourishes it.G2532G3756G2902G2776G1537G3739G3956G4983G1223G860G2532G4886G2023G2532G4822G837G838G2316 20You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the spiritual powers of this world. So why do you keep on following the rules of the world, such as,G3767G1487G599G4862G5547G575G4747G2889G5101G5613G2198G1722G2889G1379 21"Don't handle! Don't taste! Don't touch!"?G680G3361G1089G3366G2345G3366 22Such rules are mere human teachings about things that deteriorate as we use them.G3739G3956G2076G1519G5356G671G2596G1778G2532G1319G444 23These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, pious self-denial, and severe bodily discipline. But they provide no help in conquering a person's evil desires.G3748G2192G3303G2076G3056G4678G1722G1479G2532G5012G2532G857G4983G3756G1722G5100G5092G4314G4140G4561
3Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God's right hand.G1487G4891G3767G4891G5547G2212G507G3757G5547G2076G2521G1722G1188G2316 2Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.G5426G507G3361G1909G1093 3For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.G1063G599G2532G5216G2222G2928G4862G5547G1722G2316 4And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.G3752G5547G2257G2222G5319G5119G5319G5210G2532G5319G4862G846G1722G1391 5So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don't be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.G3499G3767G5216G3196G3588G1909G1093G4202G167G3806G2556G1939G2532G4124G3748G2076G1495 6Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming.G1223G3739G3709G2316G2064G1909G5207G543 7You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world.G1722G3739G5210G2532G4043G4218G3753G2198G1722G846 8But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language.G1161G3570G5210G2532G659G3956G3709G2372G2549G988G148G1537G5216G4750 9Don't lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds.G5574G3361G1519G240G554G3820G444G4862G846G4234 10Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.G2532G1746G3501G3588G341G1519G1922G2596G1504G2936G846 11In this new life, it doesn't matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.G3699G1762G3756G1672G2532G2453G4061G2532G203G915G4658G1401G1658G235G5547G3956G2532G1722G3956 12Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.G1746G3767G5613G1588G2316G40G2532G25G4698G3628G5544G5012G4236G3115 13Make allowance for each other's faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.G430G240G2532G5483G1438G1437G5100G2192G3437G4314G5100G2531G2532G5547G5483G5213G3779G2532G5210 14Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.G1161G1909G3956G5125G26G3748G2076G4886G5047 15And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.G2532G1018G1515G2316G1018G1722G5216G2588G1519G3739G2532G2564G1722G1520G4983G2532G1096G2170 16Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.G1774G3056G5547G1774G1722G5213G4146G1722G3956G4678G1321G2532G3560G1438G5568G2532G5215G2532G4152G5603G103G1722G5485G1722G5216G2588G2962 17And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.G2532G3748G3956G302G4160G1722G3056G2228G1722G2041G3956G1722G3686G2962G2424G2168G2316G2532G3962G1223G846 18Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting for those who belong to the Lord.G1135G5293G2398G435G5613G433G1722G2962 19Husbands, love your wives and never treat them harshly.G435G25G1135G2532G4087G3361G4087G4314G846 20Children, always obey your parents, for this pleases the Lord.G5043G5219G1118G2596G3956G1063G5124G2076G2101G2962 21Fathers, do not aggravate your children, or they will become discouraged.G3962G2042G3361G5216G5043G3363G120 22Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything you do. Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. Serve them sincerely because of your reverent fear of the Lord.G1401G5219G2596G3956G2962G2596G4561G3361G1722G3787G5613G441G235G1722G572G2588G5399G2316 23Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.G2532G3956G3748G1437G4160G2038G1537G5590G5613G2962G2532G3756G444 24Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ.G1492G3754G575G2962G618G469G2817G1063G1398G2962G5547 25But if you do what is wrong, you will be paid back for the wrong you have done. For God has no favorites.G1161G91G2865G91G3739G91G2532G2076G3756G4382
4Masters, be just and fair to your slaves. Remember that you also have a Master—in heaven.G2962G3930G1401G1342G2532G2471G1492G3754G5210G2532G2192G2962G1722G3772 2Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.G4342G4335G1127G1722G846G1722G2169 3Pray for us, too, that God will give us many opportunities to speak about his mysterious plan concerning Christ. That is why I am here in chains.G260G4336G2532G4012G2257G2443G2316G455G2254G2374G3056G2980G3466G5547G1223G3739G1210G2532G1210 4Pray that I will proclaim this message as clearly as I should.G2443G5319G846G5319G5613G3165G1163G2980 5Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity.G4043G1722G4678G4314G1854G1805G2540 6Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone.G5216G3056G3842G1722G5485G741G217G1492G4459G5209G1163G611G1538G1520 7Tychicus will give you a full report about how I am getting along. He is a beloved brother and faithful helper who serves with me in the Lord's work.G3956G1691G2596G1107G5190G1107G5213G27G80G2532G4103G1249G2532G4889G1722G2962 8I have sent him to you for this very purpose—to let you know how we are doing and to encourage you.G3739G3992G4314G5209G1519G846G5124G2443G1097G5216G4012G2532G3870G5216G2588 9I am also sending Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, one of your own people. He and Tychicus will tell you everything that's happening here.G4862G3682G4103G2532G27G80G3739G2076G1537G5216G1107G5213G3956G3588G5602 10Aristarchus, who is in prison with me, sends you his greetings, and so does Mark, Barnabas's cousin. As you were instructed before, make Mark welcome if he comes your way.G708G3450G4869G782G5209G2532G3138G431G921G4012G3739G2983G1785G1437G2064G4314G5209G1209G846 11Jesus (the one we call Justus) also sends his greetings. These are the only Jewish believers among my co-workers; they are working with me here for the Kingdom of God. And what a comfort they have been!G2532G2424G3588G3004G2459G3588G5607G1537G4061G3778G3441G4904G1519G932G2316G3748G1096G3931G3427 12Epaphras, a member of your own fellowship and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends you his greetings. He always prays earnestly for you, asking God to make you strong and perfect, fully confident that you are following the whole will of God.G1889G1537G5216G1401G5547G782G5209G3842G75G5228G5216G1722G4335G2443G2476G5046G2532G4137G1722G3956G2307G2316 13I can assure you that he prays hard for you and also for the believers in Laodicea and Hierapolis.G1063G3140G846G3140G3754G2192G4183G2205G5228G5216G2532G1722G2993G2532G1722G2404 14Luke, the beloved doctor, sends his greetings, and so does Demas.G3065G27G2395G2532G1214G782G5209 15Please give my greetings to our brothers and sisters at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church that meets in her house.G782G80G1722G2993G2532G3564G2532G1577G2596G846G3624 16After you have read this letter, pass it on to the church at Laodicea so they can read it, too. And you should read the letter I wrote to them.G2532G3752G1992G314G3844G5213G4160G2443G314G2532G1722G1577G2994G2532G2443G5210G314G2532G314G1537G2993 17And say to Archippus, "Be sure to carry out the ministry the Lord gave you."G2532G2036G751G991G1248G3739G3880G1722G2962G2443G4137G846 18HERE IS MY GREETING IN MY OWN HANDWRITING—PAUL. Remember my chains. May God's grace be with you.G783G5495G1699G3972G3421G3450G1199G5485G3326G5216G281
Dublin, OH
in Christ. May God our Father give you grace and peace.G40
