Colossians 1:11-4:10

English Standard Version

^11 (A)being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for ^(B)all endurance and patience ^(C)with joy; ^12 (D)giving thanks^[a] to the Father, who has qualified you^[b] to share in ^(E)the inheritance of the saints in light. ¹³ He ^(F)has delivered us from ^(G)the domain of darkness and transferred us to ^(H)the kingdom of ^(I)his beloved Son, ^14 (J)in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

The Preeminence of Christ

^15 (K)He is the image of ^(L)the invisible God, ^(M)the firstborn of all creation. ¹⁶ For by^[c] him all things were created, ^(N)in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether ^(O)thrones or ^(P)dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created ^(Q)through him and for him. ¹⁷ And ^(R)he is before all things, and in him all things ^(S)hold together. ¹⁸ And ^(T)he is the head of the body, the church. He is ^(U)the beginning, ^(V)the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. ¹⁹ For ^(W)in him all the ^(X)fullness of God was pleased to dwell, ²⁰ and ^(Y)through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, ^(Z)making peace ^(AA)by the blood of his cross.

^21 (AB)And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, ^(AC)doing evil deeds, ²² he has now reconciled ^(AD)in his body of flesh by his death, ^(AE)in order to present you holy and blameless and ^(AF)above reproach before him, ^23 (AG)if indeed you continue in the faith, ^(AH)stable and steadfast, not shifting from ^(AI)the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed ^(AJ)in all creation^[d] under heaven, ^(AK)and of which I, Paul, became a minister.

Paul's Ministry to the Church

²⁴ Now ^(AL)I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh ^(AM)I am filling up ^(AN)what is lacking in Christ's afflictions ^(AO)for the sake of his body, that is, the church, ^25 (AP)of which I became a minister according to ^(AQ)the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, ^26 (AR)the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. ^27 (AS)To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are ^(AT)the riches of the glory of ^(AU)this mystery, which is Christ in you, ^(AV)the hope of glory. ²⁸ Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that ^(AW)we may present everyone ^(AX)mature in Christ. ²⁹ For this ^(AY)I toil, ^(AZ)struggling ^(BA)with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.

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

Alive in Christ

^6 (BL)Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, ^7 (BM)rooted and ^(BN)built up in him and ^(BO)established in the faith, just ^(BP)as you were taught, abounding ^(BQ)in thanksgiving.

⁸ See to it that no one takes you captive by ^(BR)philosophy and ^(BS)empty deceit, according to ^(BT)human tradition, according to the ^(BU)elemental spirits^[e] of the world, and not according to Christ. ⁹ For ^(BV)in him the whole fullness of deity dwells ^(BW)bodily, ¹⁰ and ^(BX)you have been filled in him, who is ^(BY)the head of all rule and authority. ¹¹ In him also ^(BZ)you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by ^(CA)putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, ^12 (CB)having been buried with him in baptism, in which ^(CC)you were also raised with him through faith in ^(CD)the powerful working of God, ^(CE)who raised him from the dead. ^13 (CF)And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God ^(CG)made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, ¹⁴ by ^(CH)canceling ^(CI)the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. ^15 (CJ)He disarmed the rulers and authorities^[f] and ^(CK)put them to open shame, by ^(CL)triumphing over them in him.^[g]

Let No One Disqualify You

¹⁶ Therefore let no one ^(CM)pass judgment on you ^(CN)in questions of food and drink, or with regard to ^(CO)a festival or ^(CP)a new moon or a Sabbath. ^17 (CQ)These are a shadow of the things to come, but ^(CR)the substance belongs to Christ. ¹⁸ Let no one ^(CS)disqualify you, ^(CT)insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, ^(CU)going on in detail about visions,^{[h] (CV)}puffed up without reason by ^(CW)his sensuous mind, ¹⁹ and ^(CX)not ^(CY)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 ^(CZ)you died to the ^(DA)elemental spirits of the world, ^(DB)why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— ^21 (DC)“Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” ²² (^(DD)referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to ^(DE)human precepts and teachings? ²³ These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in ^(DF)promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are ^(DG)of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.

Put On the New Self

3 ^(DH)If then you have been raised with Christ, seek ^(DI)the things that are above, where Christ is, ^(DJ)seated at the right hand of God. ^2 (DK)Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. ³ For ^(DL)you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. ⁴ When Christ ^(DM)who is your^[i] life ^(DN)appears, then you also will appear with him ^(DO)in glory.

^5 (DP)Put to death therefore ^(DQ)what is earthly in you:^{[j] (DR)}sexual immorality, impurity, ^(DS)passion, evil desire, and covetousness, ^(DT)which is idolatry. ^6 (DU)On account of these the wrath of God is coming.^{[k] 7 (DV)}In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. ⁸ But now ^(DW)you must put them all away: ^(DX)anger, wrath, malice, ^(DY)slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. ^9 (DZ)Do not lie to one another, seeing that ^(EA)you have put off ^(EB)the old self^[l] with its practices ¹⁰ and ^(EC)have put on ^(ED)the new self, ^(EE)which is being renewed in knowledge ^(EF)after the image of ^(EG)its creator. ^11 (EH)Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave,^[m] free; but Christ is ^(EI)all, and in all.

^12 (EJ)Put on then, as ^(EK)God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, ^(EL)compassionate hearts, ^(EM)kindness, ^(EN)humility, meekness, and patience, ^13 (EO)bearing with one another and, ^(EP)if one has a complaint against another, ^(EQ)forgiving each other; ^(ER)as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. ¹⁴ And above all these put on ^(ES)love, which ^(ET)binds everything together in ^(EU)perfect harmony. ¹⁵ And let ^(EV)the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called ^(EW)in one body. And ^(EX)be thankful. ¹⁶ Let ^(EY)the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, ^(EZ)singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, ^(FA)with thankfulness in your hearts to God. ¹⁷ And ^(FB)whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, ^(FC)giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Rules for Christian Households

^18 (FD)Wives, submit to your husbands, as ^(FE)is fitting in the Lord. ¹⁹ Husbands, love your wives, and ^(FF)do not be harsh with them. ²⁰ Children, obey your parents ^(FG)in everything, for this pleases the Lord. ²¹ Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged. ²² Bondservants, obey ^(FH)in everything those who are your earthly masters,^[n] not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. ^23 (FI)Whatever you do, work heartily, ^(FJ)as for the Lord and not for men, ²⁴ knowing that from the Lord ^(FK)you will receive the inheritance as your reward. ^(FL)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^[o] justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.

Further Instructions

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

^5 (FR)Walk in wisdom toward ^(FS)outsiders, making the best use of the time. ⁶ Let your speech always ^(FT)be gracious, ^(FU)seasoned with salt, ^(FV)so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.

Final Greetings

⁷ Tychicus will tell you ^(FW)all about my activities. He is a beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow servant^[p] 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 ^(FX)Onesimus, our faithful and ^(FY)beloved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you of everything that has taken place here.

^10 (FZ)Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, and Mark ^(GA)the cousin of Barnabas (concerning whom you have received instructions—^(GB)if he comes to you, welcome him),