PeacePage
Colossians
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
1 For I want you to
know how much I am struggling for you, and for those in Laodicea, and for all
who have not seen me face to face. 2 I want their hearts to
be encouraged and united in love, so that they may have all the riches of
assured understanding and have the knowledge of God's mystery, that is, Christ
himself, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom
and knowledge.
4 I am saying this
so that no one may deceive you with plausible arguments. 5 For
though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, and I rejoice to see
your morale and the firmness of your faith in Christ. 6 As
you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives
in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the
faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. 8 See
to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit,
according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the
universe, and not according to Christ. 9 For in him the
whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10 and you have come
to fullness in him, who is the head of every ruler and authority. 11 In
him also you were circumcised with a spiritual circumcision, by putting off the
body of the flesh in the circumcision of Christ; 12 when you
were buried with him in baptism, you were also raised with him through faith in
the power of God, who raised him from the dead.
13 And when you were
dead in trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive
together with him, when he forgave us all our trespasses, 14 erasing
the record that stood against us with its legal demands. He set this aside, nailing
it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities
and made a public example of them, triumphing over them in it.
16 Therefore do not
let anyone condemn you in matters of food and drink or of observing festivals,
new moons, or sabbaths. 17 These are only a shadow of what
is to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. 18 Do not
let anyone disqualify you, insisting on self-abasement and worship of angels,
dwelling on visions, puffed up without
cause by a human way of thinking, 19 and not holding fast to
the head, from whom the whole body, nourished and held together by its
ligaments and sinews, grows with a growth that is from God. 20 If
with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the universe, why do you live
as if you still belonged to the world? Why do you submit to regulations, 21 "Do
not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch"? 22 All these
regulations refer to things that perish with use; they are simply human
commands and teachings. 23 These have indeed an appearance
of wisdom in promoting self-imposed piety, humility, and severe treatment of
the body, but they are of no value in checking self-indulgence.
Chapter 3
1 So if you have
been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is,
seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things
that are above, not on things that are on earth, 3 for you
have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When
Christ who is your life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in
glory.
5 Put to death,
therefore, whatever in you is earthly: fornication, impurity, passion, evil
desire, and greed (which is idolatry). 6 On account of these
the wrath of God is coming on those who are disobedient. 7 These
are the ways you also once followed, when you were living that life.
8 But now you must
get rid of all such things—anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive language
from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that
you have stripped off the old self with its practices 10 and
have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge
according to the image of its creator. 11 In that renewal
there is no longer Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian,
Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all!
12 As God's chosen
ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility,
meekness, and patience. 13 Bear with one another and, if
anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord
has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 Above all,
clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect
harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts,
to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. 16 Let
the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all
wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual
songs to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do
everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father
through him.
18 Wives, be subject
to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19 Husbands,
love your wives and never treat them harshly. 20 Children,
obey your parents in everything, for this is your acceptable duty in the Lord. 21 Fathers,
do not provoke your children, or they may lose heart. 22 Slaves,
obey your earthly masters in everything, not only while being watched and in
order to please them, but wholeheartedly, fearing the Lord. 23 Whatever
your task, put yourselves into it, as done for the Lord and not for your
masters, 24 since you know that from the Lord you will
receive the inheritance as your reward; you serve the Lord Christ. 25 For
the wrongdoer will be paid back for whatever wrong has been done, and there is
no partiality.
Chapter 4
1 Masters, treat
your slaves justly and fairly, for you know that you also have a Master in
heaven.
2 Devote yourselves
to prayer, keeping alert in it with thanksgiving. 3 At the same
time pray for us as well that God will open to us a door for the word, that we
may declare the mystery of Christ, for which I am in prison, 4 so
that I may reveal it clearly, as I should.
5 Conduct yourselves
wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time. 6 Let
your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how
you ought to answer everyone.
7 Tychicus will tell
you all the news about me; he is a beloved brother, a faithful minister, and a
fellow servant in the Lord. 8 I have sent him to you for
this very purpose, so that you may know how we are and that he may encourage
your hearts; 9 he is coming with Onesimus, the faithful and
beloved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you about everything here. 10 Aristarchus
my fellow prisoner greets you, as does Mark the cousin of Barnabas, concerning
whom you have received instructions—if he comes to you, welcome him. 11 And
Jesus who is called Justus greets you. These are the only ones of the
circumcision among my co-workers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a
comfort to me. 12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of
Christ Jesus, greets you. He is always wrestling in his prayers on your behalf,
so that you may stand mature and fully assured in everything that God wills. 13 For
I testify for him that he has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea and
in Hierapolis. 14 Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas
greet you. 15 Give my greetings to the brothers and sisters
in Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house. 16 And
when this letter has been read among you, have it read also in the church of
the Laodiceans; and see that you read also the letter from Laodicea. 17 And
say to Archippus, "See that you complete the task that you have received
in the Lord." 18 I, Paul, write this greeting with my
own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.
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This page maintained by
Robert Lee Foster, rfoster@wbcoll.edu
Last revised: February 8, 2003