\NormalFont\ShortTitle{Colossians}
{\MTB Paul’s Letter to the
\par }{\MT Colossians

\par }\ChapOne{1}{\SH Introduction
\par }{\PP \VerseOne{1}From
Paul,
an apostle
of
Christ
Jesus,
by
the
will
of
God,
and
from
Timothy,
also
a follower
of
the
Lord.
\VS{2}To
Christ’s
people
at
Colossae –
the
followers
who
are
faithful
to
him:
May
God,
our
Father,
bless
you
and
give
you
peace.
\par }{\BB \par }{\PP \VS{3}Whenever
we
pray
we
never
fail
to
thank
God,
the
Father
of
our
Lord
Jesus
Christ,
for
you,
\VS{4}now
that
we
have
heard
of
your
faith
in
Christ
Jesus
and
of
the
love
that
you
have
for
all
his
people,
\VS{5}because
of
the
hope
which
is
kept
safe
for
you
in
heaven.
Of
this
hope
you
heard
long
ago
in
the
true
message
of
the
good
news
which
reached
you,
\VS{6}bearing
fruit
and
growing,
as
it
does,
through
all
the
world,
just
as
it
did
among
you
from
the
very
day
that
you
heard
of
God’s
loving
kindness,
and
understood
what
that
loving
kindness
really
is.
\VS{7}It
is
just
what
you
learned
from
Epaphras,
our
dear
fellow
servant,
who,
as
a
minister
of
the
Christ,
faithfully
represents
us,
\VS{8}and
who
told
us
of
the
love
with
which
the
Spirit
has
inspired
you.
\par }{\PP \VS{9}And
therefore
we,
from
the
very
day
that
we
heard
this,
have
never
ceased
praying
for
you,
or
asking
that
you
may
be
filled
with
the
knowledge
of
the
will
of
God,
which
comes
through
all
true
spiritual
wisdom
and
insight.
\VS{10}Then
you
will
live
lives
worthy
of
the
Master,
and
so
please
God
in
every
way.
Your
lives
will
be
fruitful
in
every
kind
of
good
action,
and
grow
into
a fuller
knowledge
of
God;
\VS{11}you
will
be
made
strong
at
all
points
with
a
strength
worthy
of
the
power
manifested
in
his
glory –
strong
to
endure
with
patience,
and
even
with
gladness,
whatever
may
happen
to
you;
\VS{12}and
you
will
give
thanks
to
the
Father
who
made
you
fit
to
share
the
lot
which
awaits Christ’s
people
in
the realms
of
light.
\par }{\SH The
Person
and
Work
of
the Christ
\par }{\PP \VS{13}For
God
has
rescued
us
from
the tyranny
of
darkness,
and
has
removed
us
into
the
kingdom
of
his
Son,
who
is
the embodiment
of
his
love,
\VS{14}and
through
whom
we
have
found
deliverance
in
the
forgiveness
of
our
sins.
\par }{\PP \VS{15}For Christ
is
the incarnation
of
the invisible
God –
firstborn
and
head
of
all
creation;
\VS{16}for
in
him
was
created
all
that
is
in
heaven
and
on
earth,
the
visible
and
the invisible –
angels
and archangels
and
all
the
powers
of
heaven.
\VS{17}All
has
been
created
through
him
and
for
him.
He
was
before
all
things,
and
all
things
unite
in
him;
\VS{18}and
he
is
the
head
of
the
church,
which
is
his
body.
The
firstborn
from
the
dead,
he
is
to
the
church
the
source
of
its
life,
that
he,
in
all
things,
may
stand
first.
\VS{19}For
it
pleased
the
Father
that
in
him
the
divine nature
in
all
its
fulness
should
live,
\VS{20}and
through
him
to
reconcile
all
things
to
himself (making
peace
by
the
shedding
of Christ’s
blood
offered
on
the
cross) –
whether
on
earth
or
in
heaven.
\VS{21}And
it
pleased
God
that
you,
once
estranged
from
him
and
hostile towards
him
in
your
thoughts,
intent
only
on
wickedness –
\VS{22}but
now
he
has reconciled
you
to
himself
by
the
sacrifice
of Christ’s
earthly
body
in
death –
it
has
pleased
God
that
you
should
stand
in
his
presence
holy,
pure,
and
blameless,
\VS{23}if
only
you
remain
true
to
your
faith,
firm
and
immovable,
never abandoning
the
hope
held
out
in
the
good
news
to
which
you
listened,
which
has
been
proclaimed
among
all
created
things
under
heaven,
and
of
which
I,
Paul,
was
made
an
assistant.
\par }{\BB \par }{\PP \VS{24}Now
at
last
I
can
rejoice
in
my
sufferings
on
your
behalf,
and
in
my
own
person
I supplement
the
afflictions
endured
by
the
Christ,
for
the
sake
of
his
body,
the
church;
\VS{25}of
which
I
myself
became
a
minister
in virtue
of
the
office
with
which
God
entrusted
me
for
your
benefit,
to
declare
the
message
of
God
in
all
its
fulness –
\VS{26}that
truth
which
has
been
hidden
from
former
ages
and
generations.
But
now
it
has
been
revealed
to
God’s
people,
\VS{27}to
whom
it
was
his
pleasure
to
make
known
the
surpassing
glory
of
that
hidden
truth
when
proclaimed
among
the
Gentiles – ‘Christ
among
you!
Your
hope
of
glory!’
\VS{28}This
is
the
Christ
whom
we
proclaim,
warning
everyone,
and instructing
everyone,
with
all
the
wisdom
that
we
possess,
in
the
hope
of
bringing
everyone
into
God’s
presence
perfected
by
union
with
Christ.
\VS{29}It
is
for
that
I
toil,
struggling
with
all
the
energy
which
he
inspires
and
which
works powerfully
within
me.

\par }\Chap{2}{\PP \VerseOne{1}I
want
you
to
know
in
how
great
a
struggle
I
am
engaged
for
you
and
for Christ’s
people
at
Laodicea,
and
for
all
who
have
not
yet
seen
me;
\VS{2}in
the
hope
that
they,
being
bound
to
one
another
by
love,
and
keeping
in
view
the
full blessedness
of
a
firm
conviction,
may
be
encouraged
to
strive
for
a
perfect
knowledge
of
God’s
hidden
truth,
\VS{3}even Christ
himself,
in
whom
all
treasures
of
wisdom
and
knowledge
lie
hidden.
\VS{4}I
say
this
to
prevent
anyone
from
deceiving
you
by plausible
arguments.
\VS{5}It
is
true
that
I
am
not
with
you
in
person,
but
I
am
with
you
in
spirit,
and
am
glad
to
see
the
good
order
and
the unbroken
front
resulting
from
your
faith
in
Christ.
\par }{\BB \par }{\PP \VS{6}Since,
therefore,
you
have
received
Jesus,
the
Christ,
as
your
Lord,
live
your
lives
in
union
with
him –
\VS{7}rooted
in
him,
building
up
your characters
through
union
with
him,
growing
stronger
through
your
faith,
as
you
were
taught,
overflowing
with
faith
and
thanksgiving.
\VS{8}Take
care
that
there
is
not
someone
who
will
carry
you
away
by
his ‘philosophy’ –
a
hollow sham! –
following,
as
it
does,
mere
human
traditions,
and dealing
with puerile
questions
of
this
world,
and
not
with
Christ.
\VS{9}For
in Christ
the
Godhead
in
all
its
fulness
dwells incarnate;
\VS{10}and,
by
your
union
with
him,
you
also
are
filled
with
it.
He
is
the
head
of
all archangels
and
powers
of
heaven.
\VS{11}By
your
union
with
him
you
received
a
circumcision
that
was
not
performed
by
human
hands,
when
you
threw
off
the tyranny
of
the
earthly
body,
and
received
the
circumcision
of
the
Christ.
\VS{12}For
in baptism
you
were
buried
with Christ;
and
in baptism
you
were
also
raised
to
life
with
him,
through
your
faith
in
the omnipotence
of
God,
who
raised
him
from
the
dead.
\VS{13}And
to
you,
who
once
were
dead,
by
reason
of
your
sins
and
your
uncircumcised nature –
to
you
God
gave
life
in
giving
life
to Christ!
He
pardoned
all
our
sins!
\VS{14}He
canceled
the
bond
which
stood
against
us –
the
bond
that
consisted
of
ordinances –
and
which
was
directly
hostile
to
us!
He
has
taken
it
out
of
our
way
by
nailing
it
to
the
cross!
\VS{15}He
rid
himself
of
all
the
powers
of
evil,
and
held
them
up
to
open
contempt,
when
he
celebrated
his
triumph
over
them
on
the
cross!
\par }{\PP \VS{16}Do
not,
then,
allow
anyone
to
take
you
to
task
on
questions
of
eating
or
drinking,
or
in
the
matter
of
annual
or
monthly
or weekly
festivals.
\VS{17}These
things
are
only
the
shadow
of
what
is
to
come;
the
substance
is
in
the
Christ.
\VS{18}Do
not
let
anyone
defraud
you
of
the
reality
by affecting
delight
in so-called ‘humility’
and angel-worship.
Such
a
person busies
themselves
with
their
visions,
and
without
reason
are
rendered conceited
by
their
merely
human intellect.
\VS{19}They
fail
to
maintain
union
with
the
head,
to
whom
it
is
due
that
the
whole
body,
nourished
and
knit
together
by
the
contact
and connexion
of
every
part,
grows
with
a
divine
growth.
\par }{\BB \par }{\PP \VS{20}Since,
with
Christ,
you
became
dead
to
the puerile
teaching
of
this
world,
why
do
you
submit,
as
if
you
still
belonged
to
the
world,
\VS{21}to
such
ordinances
as ‘Do
not
handle,
or
taste,
or touch’?
\VS{22}For
all
the
things referred
to
in
them
cease
to
exist
when
used.
You
are
following
mere
human
directions
and
instructions.
\VS{23}Such prohibitions
appear
reasonable
where
there
is
a
desire
for self-imposed
service,
and so-called ‘humility,’
and
harsh treatment
of
the
body,
but
are
of
no real
value
against
the
indulgence
of
our
earthly nature.

\par }\Chap{3}{\PP \VerseOne{1}Since,
therefore,
you
were
raised
to
life
with
the
Christ,
seek
for
the
things
that
are
above;
for
it
is
there
that
the
Christ
is
seated
at
the
right
hand
of
God.
\VS{2}Fix
your
thoughts
on
the
things
that
are
above,
not
on
those
that
are
on
earth.
\VS{3}For
you
died,
and
your
life
now
lies
hidden,
with
the
Christ,
in
God.
\VS{4}When
the
Christ,
who
is
our
life,
appears,
then
you
also
will
appear
with
him
in
glory.
\par }{\SH The Gospel
in
the
Daily
Life
\par }{\PP \VS{5}Therefore
destroy
all
that
is
earthly
in
you –
immorality,
uncleanness,
passions,
evil
desires,
and
that
greed
which
is
idolatry.
\VS{6}These
are
the
things
because
of
which
the
wrath
of
God
comes,
\VS{7}and
to
which
you,
like
others,
once
devoted
your
lives,
when
you
lived
for
them.
\VS{8}You,
however,
must
now
lay
aside
all
such
things –
anger,
passion,
malice,
slander,
abuse.
\VS{9}Never
lie
to
one
another.
Get
rid
of
your
old self
and
its habits,
\VS{10}and
clothe
yourselves
with
that
new
self,
which,
as
it
gains
in
knowledge,
is
being
constantly
renewed
in
resemblance
to
him
who
made
it.
\VS{11}In
that
new
life
there
is
no
distinction
between
Greek
and
Jew,
circumcised
and
uncircumcised, barbarian,
Scythian,
slave,
free;
but
Christ
is
all! –
and
in
all!
\par }{\PP \VS{12}Therefore,
as
God’s
people,
consecrated
and
dear
to
him,
clothe
yourselves
with
tenderness
of
heart, kindliness,
humility,
gentleness,
forbearance;
\VS{13}bearing
with
one
another,
and,
when
there
is
any
ground
for
complaint,
forgiving
one
another
freely.
As
the
Master
freely
forgave
you,
so
you
must
forgive
one
another.
\VS{14}Over
all
these virtues
put
on
love;
for
that
is
the
belt
which
makes
all
complete.
\VS{15}Let
the
peace
that
the
Christ
gives
decide
all
doubts
within
your
hearts;
for
you
also
were
called
to
the
enjoyment
of
peace
as
members
of
one
body.
And
show
yourselves
thankful.
\VS{16}Let
the
message
of
the
Christ
be
alive
in
your
minds
in
all
its
wealth,
bringing
all
wisdom
with
it.
Teach
and
admonish
one
another
with
psalms,
and
hymns,
and
sacred
songs,
full
of
the
loving
kindness
of
God,
lifting
your
hearts
in
song
to
him.
\VS{17}And,
whatever
you
say
or
do,
do
everything
in
the
name
of
the
Lord
Jesus;
and
through
him
offer
thanksgiving
to
God
the
father.
\par }{\BB \par }{\PP \VS{18}Wives,
submit
to
your
husbands,
as
befits
those
who
belong
to
the
Lord.
\VS{19}Husbands,
love
your
wives,
and
never
treat
them
harshly.
\VS{20}Children,
always
obey
your
parents;
for
that
is
pleasant
to
see
in
those
who
belong
to
the
Lord.
\VS{21}Fathers,
never
irritate
your
children,
otherwise
they
might
become
disheartened.
\VS{22}Slaves,
always
obey
your
earthly
masters,
not
only
when
their
eyes
are
on
you,
as
if
you
had
but
to
please
people
alone,
but
giving
them ungrudging
service,
in
your
respect
for
the
Master.
\VS{23}Whatever
you
do,
do
it
with
all
your
heart,
as
if
working
for
the
Master
and
not
for
people,
\VS{24}since
you
know
that
it
is
from
the
Master
that
you
will
receive
the
inheritance
which
will
be
your
reward.
You
are
serving
Christ,
the
Master.
\VS{25}Those
who
do
wrong
will
reap
the
wrong
they
have
done;
and
there
will
be
no
partiality.

\par }\Chap{4}{\PP \VerseOne{1}Masters,
do
what
is
right
and
fair
by
your
slaves,
for
you
know
that
you
also
have
a
Master –
in
heaven.
\par }{\BB \par }{\PP \VS{2}Devote
yourselves
to
prayer.
Give
your
whole
mind
to
it,
and
also
offer
thanksgiving;
\VS{3}and
at
the
same
time
pray
for
us,
so
that
God
may
give
us
an
opening
for
our
message,
so
that
we
may
speak
of
the truths
hidden
in
the
Christ –
the truths
for
which
I
am
in
chains!
\VS{4}Then
I
will
make
them
known,
as
I
ought
to
do.
\VS{5}Show tact
in
your
behavior
to
the
outside
world,
making
the
most
of
every
opportunity.
\VS{6}Let
your
conversation
always
be
kindly,
but
not bland,
season
it,
as
it
were,
with
salt;
be
aware
in
each
case
of
the
answer
you
should
be
giving.
\par }{\SH Conclusion
\par }{\PP \VS{7}Our
dear
friend,
Tychicus,
will
tell
you
all
about
me.
He
is
a
faithful
minister,
and
a
fellow
servant
in
the
Master’s
cause.
\VS{8}I
send
him
to
you
expressly
that
you
may
learn
our
circumstances,
and
that
he
may
give
you
encouragement.
\VS{9}With
him
will
be
Onesimus,
our
dear
faithful
friend,
who
is
one
of
yourselves.
They
will
tell
you
all
that
is
going
on
here.
\par }{\BB \par }{\PP \VS{10}My
fellow
prisoner, Aristarchus,
sends
you
his greeting,
and Barnabas’s cousin,
Mark,
sends
his. (You
have
received
directions
about
him.
If
he
comes
to
you,
make
him
welcome.)
\VS{11}Joshua,
who
is
called
Justus,
also
sends
his greeting.
These
are
the
only
converts
from Judaism
who
have
worked
with
me
for
the
kingdom
of
God;
I
have
found
them
a
great
comfort.
\VS{12}Epaphras,
who
is
one
of
yourselves,
sends
you
his greeting.
He
is
a
servant
of
Christ
Jesus,
and
is
always
most
earnest
in
your
behalf
in
his
prayers,
praying
that
you
may
stand
firm,
with
a matured
faith
and
with
a
sure conviction
of
all
that
is
in
accordance
with
God’s
will.
\VS{13}I
can
bear
testimony
to
the
deep
interest
he
takes
in
you,
as
well
as
in
the
followers
at
Laodicea
and
at
Hierapolis.
\VS{14}Luke,
our
dear
doctor,
sends
you
his greeting,
and
Demas
sends
his.
\VS{15}Give
my greeting
to
the
followers
at
Laodicea,
and
to Nymphe,
and
to
the
church
that
meets
at
her
house.
\VS{16}And
when
this
letter
has
been
read
to
you,
see
that
it
is
also
read
before
the
church
at
Laodicea,
and
that
you
yourselves
read
the
letter
which
will
be forwarded
from
there.
\VS{17}Give
this
message
to Archippus – ‘Take
care
to
discharge
to
the
best
of
your
ability
the
office
to
which
you
were
appointed
in
the
Master’s
cause.’
\par }{\BB \par }{\PP \VS{18}I,
Paul,
add
this greeting
in
my
own handwriting.
Remember
these
chains
of
mine.
God’s
blessing
be
with
you.\par }