Colossians 1-4

English Standard Version

Greeting

1 Paul, ^(A)an apostle of Christ Jesus ^(B)by the will of God, and Timothy ^(C)our brother,

² To the ^(D)saints and faithful brothers^[a] in Christ at Colossae:

^(E)Grace to you and peace from God our Father.

Thanksgiving and Prayer

^3 (F)We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, ⁴ since we heard of ^(G)your faith in Christ Jesus and of ^(H)the love that you have for all the saints, ⁵ because of ^(I)the hope ^(J)laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in ^(K)the word of the truth, the gospel, ⁶ which has come to you, as indeed ^(L)in the whole world it is ^(M)bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you ^(N)heard it and understood ^(O)the grace of God in truth, ⁷ just as you learned it from ^(P)Epaphras our beloved ^(Q)fellow servant.^[b] He is ^(R)a faithful minister of Christ on your^[c] behalf ⁸ and has made known to us your ^(S)love in the Spirit.

⁹ And so, ^(T)from the day we heard, ^(U)we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that ^(V)you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all ^(W)spiritual wisdom and understanding, ¹⁰ so as ^(X)to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, ^(Y)fully pleasing to him: ^(Z)bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; ^11 (AA)being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for ^(AB)all endurance and patience ^(AC)with joy; ^12 (AD)giving thanks^[d] to the Father, who has qualified you^[e] to share in ^(AE)the inheritance of the saints in light. ¹³ He ^(AF)has delivered us from ^(AG)the domain of darkness and transferred us to ^(AH)the kingdom of ^(AI)his beloved Son, ^14 (AJ)in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

The Preeminence of Christ

^15 (AK)He is the image of ^(AL)the invisible God, ^(AM)the firstborn of all creation. ¹⁶ For by^[f] him all things were created, ^(AN)in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether ^(AO)thrones or ^(AP)dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created ^(AQ)through him and for him. ¹⁷ And ^(AR)he is before all things, and in him all things ^(AS)hold together. ¹⁸ And ^(AT)he is the head of the body, the church. He is ^(AU)the beginning, ^(AV)the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. ¹⁹ For ^(AW)in him all the ^(AX)fullness of God was pleased to dwell, ²⁰ and ^(AY)through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, ^(AZ)making peace ^(BA)by the blood of his cross.

^21 (BB)And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, ^(BC)doing evil deeds, ²² he has now reconciled ^(BD)in his body of flesh by his death, ^(BE)in order to present you holy and blameless and ^(BF)above reproach before him, ^23 (BG)if indeed you continue in the faith, ^(BH)stable and steadfast, not shifting from ^(BI)the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed ^(BJ)in all creation^[g] under heaven, ^(BK)and of which I, Paul, became a minister.

Paul's Ministry to the Church

²⁴ Now ^(BL)I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh ^(BM)I am filling up ^(BN)what is lacking in Christ's afflictions ^(BO)for the sake of his body, that is, the church, ^25 (BP)of which I became a minister according to ^(BQ)the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, ^26 (BR)the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. ^27 (BS)To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are ^(BT)the riches of the glory of ^(BU)this mystery, which is Christ in you, ^(BV)the hope of glory. ²⁸ Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that ^(BW)we may present everyone ^(BX)mature in Christ. ²⁹ For this ^(BY)I toil, ^(BZ)struggling ^(CA)with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.

2 For I want you to know ^(CB)how great a ^(CC)struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, ² that ^(CD)their hearts may be encouraged, being ^(CE)knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of ^(CF)God's mystery, which is Christ, ^3 (CG)in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. ⁴ I say this in order ^(CH)that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. ⁵ For ^(CI)though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your ^(CJ)good order and ^(CK)the firmness of your faith in Christ.

Alive in Christ

^6 (CL)Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, ^7 (CM)rooted and ^(CN)built up in him and ^(CO)established in the faith, just ^(CP)as you were taught, abounding ^(CQ)in thanksgiving.

⁸ See to it that no one takes you captive by ^(CR)philosophy and ^(CS)empty deceit, according to ^(CT)human tradition, according to the ^(CU)elemental spirits^[h] of the world, and not according to Christ. ⁹ For ^(CV)in him the whole fullness of deity dwells ^(CW)bodily, ¹⁰ and ^(CX)you have been filled in him, who is ^(CY)the head of all rule and authority. ¹¹ In him also ^(CZ)you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by ^(DA)putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, ^12 (DB)having been buried with him in baptism, in which ^(DC)you were also raised with him through faith in ^(DD)the powerful working of God, ^(DE)who raised him from the dead. ^13 (DF)And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God ^(DG)made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, ¹⁴ by ^(DH)canceling ^(DI)the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. ^15 (DJ)He disarmed the rulers and authorities^[i] and ^(DK)put them to open shame, by ^(DL)triumphing over them in him.^[j]

Let No One Disqualify You

¹⁶ Therefore let no one ^(DM)pass judgment on you ^(DN)in questions of food and drink, or with regard to ^(DO)a festival or ^(DP)a new moon or a Sabbath. ^17 (DQ)These are a shadow of the things to come, but ^(DR)the substance belongs to Christ. ¹⁸ Let no one ^(DS)disqualify you, ^(DT)insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, ^(DU)going on in detail about visions,^{[k] (DV)}puffed up without reason by ^(DW)his sensuous mind, ¹⁹ and ^(DX)not ^(DY)holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.

²⁰ If with Christ ^(DZ)you died to the ^(EA)elemental spirits of the world, ^(EB)why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— ^21 (EC)“Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” ²² (^(ED)referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to ^(EE)human precepts and teachings? ²³ These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in ^(EF)promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are ^(EG)of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.

Put On the New Self

3 ^(EH)If then you have been raised with Christ, seek ^(EI)the things that are above, where Christ is, ^(EJ)seated at the right hand of God. ^2 (EK)Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. ³ For ^(EL)you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. ⁴ When Christ ^(EM)who is your^[l] life ^(EN)appears, then you also will appear with him ^(EO)in glory.

^5 (EP)Put to death therefore ^(EQ)what is earthly in you:^{[m] (ER)}sexual immorality, impurity, ^(ES)passion, evil desire, and covetousness, ^(ET)which is idolatry. ^6 (EU)On account of these the wrath of God is coming.^{[n] 7 (EV)}In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. ⁸ But now ^(EW)you must put them all away: ^(EX)anger, wrath, malice, ^(EY)slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. ^9 (EZ)Do not lie to one another, seeing that ^(FA)you have put off ^(FB)the old self^[o] with its practices ¹⁰ and ^(FC)have put on ^(FD)the new self, ^(FE)which is being renewed in knowledge ^(FF)after the image of ^(FG)its creator. ^11 (FH)Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave,^[p] free; but Christ is ^(FI)all, and in all.

^12 (FJ)Put on then, as ^(FK)God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, ^(FL)compassionate hearts, ^(FM)kindness, ^(FN)humility, meekness, and patience, ^13 (FO)bearing with one another and, ^(FP)if one has a complaint against another, ^(FQ)forgiving each other; ^(FR)as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. ¹⁴ And above all these put on ^(FS)love, which ^(FT)binds everything together in ^(FU)perfect harmony. ¹⁵ And let ^(FV)the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called ^(FW)in one body. And ^(FX)be thankful. ¹⁶ Let ^(FY)the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, ^(FZ)singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, ^(GA)with thankfulness in your hearts to God. ¹⁷ And ^(GB)whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, ^(GC)giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Rules for Christian Households

^18 (GD)Wives, submit to your husbands, as ^(GE)is fitting in the Lord. ¹⁹ Husbands, love your wives, and ^(GF)do not be harsh with them. ²⁰ Children, obey your parents ^(GG)in everything, for this pleases the Lord. ²¹ Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged. ²² Bondservants, obey ^(GH)in everything those who are your earthly masters,^[q] not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. ^23 (GI)Whatever you do, work heartily, ^(GJ)as for the Lord and not for men, ²⁴ knowing that from the Lord ^(GK)you will receive the inheritance as your reward. ^(GL)You are serving the Lord Christ. ²⁵ For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.

4 Masters, treat your bondservants^[r] justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.

Further Instructions

^2 (GM)Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it ^(GN)with thanksgiving. ³ At the same time, pray also for us, that God may ^(GO)open to us a door for the word, ^(GP)to declare the mystery of Christ, ^(GQ)on account of which I am in prison— ⁴ that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.

^5 (GR)Walk in wisdom toward ^(GS)outsiders, making the best use of the time. ⁶ Let your speech always ^(GT)be gracious, ^(GU)seasoned with salt, ^(GV)so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.

Final Greetings

⁷ Tychicus will tell you ^(GW)all about my activities. He is a beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow servant^[s] in the Lord. 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, ⁹ and with him ^(GX)Onesimus, our faithful and ^(GY)beloved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you of everything that has taken place here.

^10 (GZ)Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, and Mark ^(HA)the cousin of Barnabas (concerning whom you have received instructions—^(HB)if he comes to you, welcome him), ¹¹ and Jesus who is called ^(HC)Justus. ^(HD)These are the only men of the circumcision among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and ^(HE)they have been a comfort to me. ^12 (HF)Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always ^(HG)struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand ^(HH)mature and fully assured in all the will of God. ¹³ For I bear him witness that he has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea and in Hierapolis. ^14 (HI)Luke the beloved physician greets you, as does ^(HJ)Demas. ¹⁵ Give my greetings to the brothers^[t] at Laodicea, and to Nympha and ^(HK)the church in her house. ¹⁶ And when ^(HL)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. ¹⁷ And say to ^(HM)Archippus, “See that you fulfill ^(HN)the ministry that you have received in the Lord.”

¹⁸ I, Paul, ^(HO)write this greeting with my own hand. ^(HP)Remember ^(HQ)my chains. ^(HR)Grace be with you.