King James Version
1 ¶ Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God,
and Timotheus our brother,
2 To the saints
and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse: Grace be unto you, and
peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 ¶ We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ, praying always for you,
4 Since we heard
of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints,
5 For the hope
which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the
truth of the gospel;
6 Which is come
unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also
in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth:
7
As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellowservant, who is
for you a faithful minister of Christ;
8 Who also
declared unto us your love in the Spirit.
9 ¶ For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do
not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the
knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
10 That ye might
walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work,
and increasing in the knowledge of God;
11 Strengthened
with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and
longsuffering with joyfulness;
12 ¶ Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us
meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
13 Who hath
delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the
kingdom of his dear Son:
14
In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the
forgiveness of sins:
15 Who is the
image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
16 For by him
were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and
invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers:
all things were created by him, and for him:
17 And he is
before all things, and by him all things consist.
18 And he is the
head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the
dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
19 For it pleased
the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;
20 And, having
made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto
himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.
21
And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your
mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled
22 In the body of
his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable
in his sight:
23 If ye continue
in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the
gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is
under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;
24 Who now
rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions
of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church:
25 Whereof I am
made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for
you, to fulfil the word of God;
26 Even the
mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made
manifest to his saints:
27 To whom God
would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the
Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and
teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in
Christ Jesus:
29 Whereunto I
also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.
1 ¶ For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have
for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in
the flesh;
2 That their
hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of
the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of
God, and of the Father, and of Christ;
3 In whom are hid
all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
4 ¶ And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with
enticing words.
5 For though I be
absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your
order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ.
6 As ye have
therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:
7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye
have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.
8 Beware lest any
man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men,
after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
9 For in him
dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
10 And ye are
complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
11 In whom also
ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the
body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:
12 Buried with
him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the
operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
13 ¶ And you, being dead in your sins and the
uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having
forgiven you all trespasses;
14
Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against
us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his
cross;
15 And having
spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing
over them in it.
16 ¶ Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink,
or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
17 Which are a
shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.
18 Let no man
beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels,
intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his
fleshly mind,
19 And not
holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having
nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.
20 Wherefore if
ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living
in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,
21
(Touch not; taste not; handle not;
22 Which all are
to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?
23 Which things
have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of
the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.
1 ¶ If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things
which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
2 Set your
affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
3 For ye are
dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
4 When Christ,
who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
5 ¶ Mortify therefore your members which are upon the
earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and
covetousness, which is idolatry:
6 For which
things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:
7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.
8 ¶ But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath,
malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
9 Lie not one to
another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;
10 And have put
on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that
created him:
11 Where there is
neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian,
bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.
12 ¶ Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and
beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
13 Forbearing one
another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even
as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
14 And above all these things put on charity,
which is the bond of perfectness.
15 And let the
peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body;
and be ye thankful.
16 Let the word
of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one
another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your
hearts to the Lord.
17 And whatsoever
ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to
God and the Father by him.
18 ¶ Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as
it is fit in the Lord.
19 Husbands, love
your wives, and be not bitter against them.
20 Children, obey
your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.
21 Fathers, provoke not your children to anger,
lest they be discouraged.
22 Servants, obey
in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as
menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God:
23 And whatsoever
ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
24 Knowing that
of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the
Lord Christ.
25 But he that
doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no
respect of persons.
1 ¶ Masters, give unto your servants that which is just
and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven.
2 ¶ Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with
thanksgiving;
3 Withal praying
also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the
mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds:
4 That I may make
it manifest, as I ought to speak.
5 ¶ Walk in wisdom toward them that are without,
redeeming the time.
6 Let your speech
be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to
answer every man.
7 ¶ All my state shall
Tychicus declare unto you, who is a beloved brother, and a faithful minister
and fellowservant in the Lord:
8 Whom I have
sent unto you for the same purpose, that he might know your estate, and comfort
your hearts;
9 With Onesimus,
a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They shall make known unto
you all things which are done here.
10 Aristarchus my
fellowprisoner saluteth you, and Marcus, sister's son to Barnabas, (touching
whom ye received commandments: if he come unto you, receive him;)
11 And Jesus,
which is called Justus, who are of the circumcision. These only are my
fellowworkers unto the kingdom of God, which have been a comfort unto me.
12 Epaphras, who
is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently
for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of
God.
13 For I bear him
record, that he hath a great zeal for you, and them that are in Laodicea, and
them in Hierapolis.
14
Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you.
15 Salute the
brethren which are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church which is in his
house.
16 And when this
epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the
Laodiceans; and that ye likewise read the epistle from Laodicea.
17 And say to
Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that
thou fulfil it.
18 The salutation
by the hand of me Paul. Remember my bonds. Grace be with you. Amen.
<<Written from Rome to Colossians by Tychicus and Onesimus.>>