1:1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, and Timothy our brother, 
1:2 to the saints and faithful brothers in Christ [who are] at Colossae: Grace to you⁺ and peace from God our Father.
1:3 \p We give thanks to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you⁺, 
1:4 having heard of your⁺ faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which you⁺ have toward all the saints, 
1:5 because of the hope which is laid up for you⁺ in the heavens, of which you⁺ heard before in the word of the truth of the good news, 
1:6 which has come to you⁺; even as it is also in all the world bearing fruit and increasing, as [it does] in you⁺ also, since the day you⁺ heard and knew the grace of God in truth; 
1:7 even as you⁺ learned of Epaphras our beloved fellow slave, who is a faithful servant of Christ on your⁺ behalf, 
1:8 who also declared to us your⁺ love in the Spirit.
1:9 \p For this cause we also, since the day we heard [it], do not cease to pray and make request for you⁺, that you⁺ may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 
1:10 to walk worthily of the Lord to all pleasing, bearing fruit in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; 
1:11 strengthened with all power, according to the might of his glory, to all patience and long-suffering with joy; 
1:12 giving thanks to the Father, who made you⁺ meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light; 
1:13 who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love; 
1:14 in whom we have our redemption, the forgiveness of our sins: 
1:15 \p \q1 who is the image of the invisible God, \q2 the firstborn over all creation;
1:16 \q1 for in him were all things created, \q2 in the heavens and on the earth, \q1 things visible and things invisible, \q2 whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; \q1 all things have been created through him, and to him;
1:17 \q1 and he is before all things, \q2 and in him all things consist.
1:18 \q1 And he is the head of the body, the church: \q2 who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; \q1 that in all things he might have the preeminence.
1:19 \q1 For it was the good pleasure [of the Father] \q2 that in him should all the fullness dwell;
1:20 \q1 and through him to reconcile all things to himself, \q2 having made peace through the blood of his cross; \q1 through him, whether things on the earth, or things in the heavens. 
1:21 And you⁺, being in time past alienated and enemies in your⁺ mind in your⁺ evil works, 
1:22 yet now he has reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you⁺ holy and without blemish and unreproveable before him: 
1:23 if indeed you⁺ continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the good news which you⁺ heard, which was preached in all creation under heaven; of which I Paul was made a servant.
1:24 \p Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your⁺ sake, and fill up on my part that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church; 
1:25 of which I was made a servant, according to the dispensation of God which was given me toward you⁺, to fulfill the word of God, 
1:26 [even] the mystery which has been hid since the ages and since the generations: but now it has been manifested to his saints, 
1:27 to whom God was pleased to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you⁺, the hope of glory: 
1:28 whom we proclaim, admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ; 
1:29 to which I labor also, striving according to his working, which works in me mightily.
2:1 \p For I would have you⁺ know how greatly I strive for you⁺, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh; 
2:2 that their hearts may be comforted, they being knit together in love, and to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, that they may know the mystery of God, [even] Christ, 
2:3 in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden. 
2:4 This I say, that no one may delude you⁺ with persuasiveness of speech. 
2:5 For though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you⁺ in the spirit, joying and seeing your⁺ order, and the steadfastness of your⁺ faith in Christ.
2:6 \p As therefore you⁺ received Christ Jesus the Lord, [so] walk in him, 
2:7 rooted and built up in him, and established in your⁺ faith, even as you⁺ were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
2:8 \p Beware that no one takes you⁺ captive through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the rudiments of the world, and not according to Christ: 
2:9 for in him dwells all the fullness of Deity bodily, 
2:10 and in him you⁺ are made full, who is the head of all principality and power: 
2:11 in whom you⁺ were also circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the body of the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ; 
2:12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you⁺ were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. 
2:13 And you⁺, being dead in your⁺ trespasses and the uncircumcision of your⁺ flesh, you⁺, he made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses; 
2:14 having blotted out the bond written in ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us: and he has taken it out from between [him and us], nailing it to the cross; 
2:15 having despoiled the principalities and the powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
2:16 \p Let no man therefore judge you⁺ in meat and in drink, or in respect of a feast day or a new moon or a Sabbath day: 
2:17 which are a shadow of the things to come; but the body is Christ's. 
2:18 Let no man rob you⁺ of your⁺ prize by a voluntary humility and worshiping of the angels, dwelling in the things which he has seen, puffed up for nothing by his fleshly mind, 
2:19 and not holding fast the Head, from whom all the body, being supplied and knit together through the joints and bands, increases with the increase of God.
2:20 \p If you⁺ died with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you⁺ subject yourselves to ordinances, 
2:21 Don't handle, nor taste, nor touch 
2:22 (all which things are to perish with the using), after the precepts and doctrines of men? 
2:23 Which things indeed have a show of wisdom in do-it-yourself religion, and humility, and severity to the body; [but are] not of any value against the indulgence of the flesh.
3:1 \p If then you⁺ were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 
3:2 Set your⁺ mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are on the earth. 
3:3 For you⁺ died, and your⁺ life is hid with Christ in God. 
3:4 When Christ will be manifested, [who is] your⁺ life, then you⁺ will also be manifested with him in glory.
3:5 \p Put to death therefore your⁺ members which are on the earth: whoring, impurity, immoral sexual passion, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry; 
3:6 because of these things the wrath of God comes on the sons of disobedience: 
3:7 in which you⁺ also once walked, when you⁺ lived in these things; 
3:8 but now do you⁺ also put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, railing, shameful speaking out of your⁺ mouth: 
3:9 do not lie one to another; seeing that you⁺ have put off the old man with his activities, 
3:10 and have put on the new man, who is being renewed to knowledge after the image of him who created him: 
3:11 where there can't be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all things, and in all.
3:12 \p Put on therefore, as God's elect, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, long-suffering; 
3:13 forbearing one another, and forgiving each other, if any man has a complaint against any; even as the Lord forgave you⁺, so also [should] you⁺: 
3:14 and above all these things [put on] love, which is the bond of perfectness. 
3:15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your⁺ hearts, to the which you⁺ also were called in one body; and be⁺ thankful. 
3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you⁺ richly; in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms [and] hymns [and] spiritual songs, singing with grace in your⁺ hearts to God. 
3:17 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.
3:18 Wives, be in subjection to your⁺ husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 
3:19 Husbands, love your⁺ wives, and do not be bitter against them. 
3:20 Children, obey your⁺ parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing in the Lord. 
3:21 Fathers, do not provoke your⁺ children, that they not be discouraged. 
3:22 Slaves, obey in all things those who are your⁺ masters according to the flesh; not with eye-service, as men-pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing the Lord: 
3:23 whatever you⁺ do, work from the soul, as to the Lord, and not to men; 
3:24 knowing that from the Lord you⁺ will receive the recompense of the inheritance: you⁺ serve as slaves to the Lord Christ. 
3:25 For he who does wrong will receive again for the wrong that he has done: and there is no favoritism. 
4:1 Masters, render to your⁺ slaves that which is just and equal; knowing that you⁺ also have a Master in heaven.
4:2 \p Continue steadfastly in prayer, watching in it with thanksgiving; 
4:3 as well praying for us also, that God may open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds; 
4:4 that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak. 
4:5 Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. 
4:6 Let your⁺ speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you⁺ may know how you⁺ ought to answer each one. 
4:7 All that happened to me Tychicus will make known to you⁺, the beloved brother and faithful servant and fellow slave in the Lord: 
4:8 whom I have sent to you⁺ for this very purpose, that you⁺ may know our state, and that he may comfort your⁺ hearts; 
4:9 together with Onesimus, the faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you⁺. They will make known to you⁺ all things that [are done] here.
4:10 \p Aristarchus my fellow-prisoner greets you⁺, and Mark, the cousin of Barnabas (concerning whom you⁺ received commandments; if he comes to you⁺, receive him), 
4:11 and Jesus who is called Justus, who are of the circumcision: these [are my] only coworkers to the kingdom of God, men who have been a comfort to me. 
4:12 Epaphras, who is one of you⁺, a slave of Christ Jesus, greets you⁺, always striving for you⁺ in his prayers, that you⁺ may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God. 
4:13 For I bear him witness, that he has much labor for you⁺, and for them in Laodicea, and for them in Hierapolis. 
4:14 Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas greet you⁺. 
4:15 Greet the brothers who are in Laodicea, and Nymphas and the church that is in her house. 
4:16 And when this letter has been read among you⁺, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that you⁺ also read the letter from Laodicea. 
4:17 And say to Archippus, Take heed to the service which you have received in the Lord, that you fulfill it.
4:18 \p The salutation of me Paul with my own hand. Remember my bonds. Grace be with you⁺.
