
{1}1{/}

{I}1_{/}Paul, apostle of 
Christ  Jesus by the will 
of God and Timothy our 
brother,
{I}2_{/}to the saints in 
Colossae, our faithful 
brothers and sisters in 
Christ:
Receive grace and peace 
from God our Father, and 
Christ Jesus our Lord.
{I}3_{/}Thanks be to God, 
the Father of Christ 
Jesus, our Lord!
We constantly pray for 
you, {I}4_{/}for we have 
known of your faith in 
Christ Jesus and of your 
love for all the saints. 
Indeed you await in hope 
the inheritance reserved 
for you in Heaven, 
{I}5_{/}of which you have 
heard through the word of 
truth. This Gospel, 
{I}6_{/}already present 
among you, is bearing 
fruit and growing 
throughout the world, as 
it did among you from the 
day you accepted it and 
understood the gift of 
God in all its truth.
{I}7_{/}He who taught 
you, Epaphras, our dear 
companion in the service 
of Christ, faithful 
minister of Christ on our 
behalf, {I}8_{/}has 
reminded me of the love 
you have for me in the 
spirit. {I}9_{/}Because 
of this, from the day we 
received news of you, we 
have not ceased praying 
to God for you, that you 
may attain the full 
knowledge of his will 
through all the gifts of 
wisdom and spiritual 
understanding. 
{I}10_{/}May your 
lifestyle be worthy of 
the Lord and completely 
pleasing to him. May you 
bear fruit in every good 
work and grow in the 
knowledge of God. 
{I}11_{/}May you become 
strong in everything by a 
sharing of the Glory of 
God, so that you may have 
great endurance and 
persevere in joy.
{I}12_{/}Constantly give 
thanks to the Father who 
has empowered us to 
receive our share in the 
inheritance of the saints 
in his kingdom of light. 
{I}13_{/}He rescued us 
from the power of 
darkness and transferred 
us to the kingdom of his 
beloved Son. {I}14_{/}In 
him we are redeemed and 
forgiven.
CHRIST IS THE BEGINNING 
OF EVERYTHING{/}

{I}15_{/}He is the image 
of the unseen God,
and for all creation he 
is the firstborn,
{I}16_{/}for in him all 
things were created,
in heaven and on earth,
visible and invisible:
thrones, rulers, 
authorities, powers...
All was made through him 
and for him.
{I}17_{/}He is before all
and all things hold 
together in him.
{I}18_{/}And he is the 
head of the body, that is 
the Church,
for he is the first, the 
first raised from the 
dead
that he may be the first 
in everything,
{I}19_{/}for God was 
pleased to let fullness 
dwell in him.
{I}20_{/}Through him God 
willed to reconcile all 
things to himself,
and through him, through 
his blood shed on the 
cross,
God establishes peace,
on earth as in Heaven.
{I}21_{/}You yourselves 
were once estranged and 
opposed to God because of 
your evil deeds, 
{I}22_{/}but now you have 
been reconciled. God 
reconciled you by giving 
up to death the body of 
Christ, so that you may 
be without fault, holy 
and blameless before him. 
{I}23_{/}Only stand firm, 
upon the foundation of 
your faith, and be 
steadfast in hope. Keep 
in mind the Gospel you 
have heard, which has 
been preached to every 
creature under heaven, 
and of which I, Paul, 
became a minister.
{I}24_{/}At present I 
rejoice when I suffer for 
you; I complete in my own 
flesh what is lacking in 
the sufferings of Christ 
for the sake of his body, 
which is the Church. 
{I}25_{/}For I am serving 
the Church since God 
entrusted to me the 
ministry of bringing into 
effect his design for 
you. {I}26_{/}I mean that 
mysterious plan that for 
centuries and generations 
remained secret, and 
which God has now 
revealed to his holy 
ones.
{I}27_{/}God willed to 
make known to them the 
riches and even the Glory 
that his mysterious plan 
reserved for the pagan 
nations: Christ is in you 
and you may hope God's 
Glory.
{I}28_{/}This Christ we 
preach. We warn and teach 
everyone true wisdom, 
aiming to make everyone 
perfect in Christ. 
{I}29_{/}For this cause I 
labor and struggle with 
the energy of Christ 
working powerfully in me.
LET CHRIST JESUS, THE 
LORD, BE YOUR DOCTRINE{/}

{1}2{/}

{I}1_{/}I want you to 
know how  I strive for 
you, for those of 
Laodicea and for so many 
who have not met me 
personally. {I}2_{/}I 
pray that all may be 
encouraged. May you be 
established in love, that 
you may obtain all the 
riches of a full 
understanding and know 
the mystery of God, 
Christ himself. 
{I}3_{/}For in him are 
hidden all the treasures 
of wisdom and knowledge.
{I}4_{/}So let no one 
deceive you with 
persuasive arguments. 
{I}5_{/}Although I am far 
from you, my spirit is 
with you and I rejoice in 
recalling how well-
disciplined you are and 
how firm in the faith of 
Christ.
{I}6_{/}If you have 
accepted Christ Jesus as 
Lord, let him be your 
doctrine. {I}7_{/}Be 
rooted and built up in 
him; let faith be your 
principle, as you were 
taught, and your 
thanksgiving overflowing.
{I}8_{/}See that no one 
deceives you with 
philosophy or any hollow 
discourse; these are 
merely human doctrines 
not inspired by Christ 
but by the wisdom of this 
world. {I}9_{/}For in Him 
dwells the fullness of 
God in bodily form. 
{I}10_{/}He is the head 
of all cosmic power and 
authority, and in him you 
have everything.
BAPTIZED AND RISEN{/}

{I}11_{/}In Christ Jesus 
you were given a 
circumcision but not by 
human hands, which 
removed completely from 
you the carnal body: 
{I}12_{/}I refer to 
baptism. On receiving it 
you were buried with 
Christ; and you also rose 
with him for having 
believed in the power of 
God who raised him from 
the dead.
{I}13_{/}You were dead. 
You were in sin and 
uncircumcised at the same 
time. But God gave you 
life with Christ. He 
forgave all our sins. 
{I}14_{/}He canceled the 
record of our debts, 
those regulations which 
accused us. He did away 
with all that and nailed 
it to the cross. 
{I}15_{/}Victorious 
through the cross, he 
stripped the rulers and 
authorities of their 
power, humbled them 
before the eyes of the 
whole world and dragged 
them behind him as 
prisoners. 
USELESS DOCTRINES{/}

{I}16_{/}So, then, let no 
one criticize you in 
matters of food or drink 
or for not observing 
festivals, new moons or 
the sabbath. 
{I}17_{/}These things 
were only shadows of what 
was to come, whereas the 
reality is the person of 
Christ. {I}18_{/}Do not 
let yourselves be robbed 
of him by those people 
who offer you a religion 
of fear and the worship 
of the angels. In fact, 
they only appreciate 
their own visions and are 
puffed up with their idle 
notions, {I}19_{/}instead 
of holding firmly to the 
head, Christ. It is he 
who nourishes and gives 
unity to the whole body 
by a complex system of 
nerves and ligaments, 
making it grow according 
to the plan of God.
{I}20_{/}If you have 
really died with Christ, 
and are rid of the 
principles of the world, 
why do you now let 
yourselves be taught as 
if you belonged to the 
world? {I}21_{/}"Do not 
eat this, do not taste 
that, do not touch 
that..." {I}22_{/}These 
are human rules and 
teachings, referring to 
things that are 
perishable, that wear out 
and disappear. 
{I}23_{/}These doctrines 
may seem to be profound 
because they speak of 
religious observance and 
humility and of 
disregarding the body. In 
fact, they are useless as 
soon as the flesh rebels.
SEEK THE THINGS THAT ARE 
ABOVE{/}

{1}3{/}

{I}1_{/}So then, if you 
are risen  with Christ, 
seek the things that are 
above, where Christ is 
seated at the right hand 
of God. {I}2_{/}Set your 
mind on the things that 
are above, not on earthly 
things. {I}3_{/}For you 
have died and your life 
is now hidden with Christ 
in God. {I}4_{/}When 
Christ, who is your life, 
reveals himself, you also 
will be revealed with him 
in Glory.
{I}5_{/}Therefore, put to 
death what is earthly in 
your life, that is 
immorality, impurity, 
inordinate passions, 
wicked desires and greed 
which is a way of 
worshiping idols. 
{I}6_{/}These are the 
things that arouse the 
wrath of God.
{I}7_{/}For a time you 
followed this way and 
lived in such disorders. 
{I}8_{/}Well then, reject 
all that: anger, evil 
intentions, malice; and 
let no abusive words be 
heard from your lips. 
PUT ON THE NEW SELF{/}

{I}9_{/}Do not lie to one 
another. You have been 
stripped of the old self 
and its way of thinking 
{I}10_{/}to put on the 
new, which is being 
renewed and is to reach 
perfect knowledge and the 
likeness of its creator. 
{I}11_{/}There, there is 
no distinction between 
Jew and Greek, between 
circumcised and 
uncircumcised. There are 
no strangers, barbarians, 
slave and free, but 
Christ is all and is in 
all.
{I}12_{/}Clothe 
yourselves, then, as is 
fitting for God's chosen 
people, holy and beloved 
of him. Put on 
compassion, kindness, 
humility, meekness and 
patience {I}13_{/}to bear 
with one another and 
forgive whenever there is 
any occasion to do so. As 
the Lord has forgiven 
you, forgive one another. 
{I}14_{/}When you have 
put on all these, take 
love as your belt so that 
the dress be perfect. 
{I}15_{/}May the peace of 
Christ overflow in your 
hearts; for this end you 
were called to be one 
body. And be thankful.
{I}16_{/}Let the word of 
God dwell in you in all 
its richness. Teach and 
admonish one another with 
words of wisdom. With 
thankful hearts sing to 
God psalms, hymns and 
spontaneous praise. 
{I}17_{/}And whatever you 
do or say, do it in the 
Name of Jesus, the Lord, 
giving thanks to God the 
Father through him.
ON OBEDIENCE{/}

{I}18_{/}Wives, submit 
yourselves to your 
husbands, as you should 
do in the Lord. 
{I}19_{/}Husbands, love 
your wives and do not get 
angry with them. 
{I}20_{/}Children, obey 
your parents in 
everything, because that 
pleases the Lord. 
{I}21_{/}Parents, do not 
be too demanding of your 
children, lest they 
become discouraged.
{I}22_{/}Servants, obey 
your masters in 
everything; not only 
while they are present, 
to gain favor with them, 
but sincerely, because 
you fear the Lord. 
{I}23_{/}Whatever you do, 
do it wholeheartedly, 
working for the Lord, and 
not for humans. 
{I}24_{/}You well know 
that the Lord will reward 
you with the inheritance. 
You are servants, but 
your Lord is Christ. 
{I}25_{/}Every evildoer 
will be paid back for 
whatever wrong has been 
done, for God does not 
make exceptions in favor 
of anyone.
{1}4{/}

{I}1_{/}As for you, 
masters, give your 
servants what is fair and 
reasonable, knowing that 
you yourselves have a 
Master in heaven.
FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS{/}

{I}2_{/}Be steadfast in 
prayer and even spend the 
night praying and giving 
thanks. {I}3_{/}Pray 
especially for us and our 
preaching: may the Lord 
give us words to announce 
the mystery of Christ. 
Because of this I am in 
chains; {I}4_{/}pray then 
that I may be able to 
reveal this mystery as I 
should.
{I}5_{/}Deal wisely with 
those who do not belong 
to the Church; take 
advantage of every 
opportunity. {I}6_{/}Let 
your conversation be 
pleasing with a touch of 
wit. Know how to speak to 
everyone in the best way.
{I}7_{/}Tychicus will 
give news of me. He is 
our dear brother and for 
me a faithful assistant 
and fellow worker for the 
Lord. {I}8_{/}I am 
purposely sending him to 
give you news of me and 
to encourage you. 
{I}9_{/}With him I am 
sending Onesimus, our 
faithful and dear 
brother, who is one of 
yours. They will tell you 
about everything that is 
happening here.
{I}10_{/}My companion in 
prison, Aristarchus, 
greets you, as does Mark, 
the cousin of Barnabas, 
about whom you have 
already received 
instructions. If he calls 
on you, receive him 
warmly. {I}11_{/}Jesus, 
called Justus, also 
greets you. They are the 
only Jewish people 
working with me for the 
kingdom of God, and 
because of that they have 
been a comfort to me. 
{I}12_{/}Greetings from 
your countryman Epaphras, 
a good servant of Christ 
Jesus. He constantly 
battles for you through 
his prayer that you be 
perfect and firm in 
whatever God asks of you. 
{I}13_{/}I assure you 
that he is deeply 
concerned about you, as 
he is for the Laodiceans 
and those of Hierapolis.
{I}14_{/}Greetings from 
Luke, our dear doctor and 
from Demas. 
{I}15_{/}Greet the 
brothers and sisters of 
Laodicea, and don't 
forget Nympha and the 
church that gathers in 
her house.
{I}16_{/}After reading 
this letter, see that it 
is read in the Church of 
the Laodiceans, and have 
the letter they received 
read in yours. 
{I}17_{/}And say to 
Archipus, "Do not forget 
the ministry given to you 
in the Lord."
{I}18_{/}Greetings in my 
own hand, Paul. Remember 
that I am in chains. 
Grace be with you.

