This is my English translation of Colossians, shaped by close attention to the Greek and presented here without notes for uninterrupted reading. You can also read it side-by-side with the Greek. Translation decisions follow the Translation Micro–Style Guide.
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Chapter Navigation: [Chap 1], [Chap 2], [Chap 3], [Chap 4]
Chapter 1
1. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Timothy our brother,
2. To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ in Colosse. Grace to you and peace from the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
3. We give thanks to the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ, always praying concerning you,
4. having heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and your love of all the saints,
5. because of the hope destined for you in heaven, which you had heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel,
6. that has come to you, just as also in all the world and is bearing fruit, likewise also in you from the day you heard and you knew the grace of God in the truth,
7. likewise, you learned from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant, who is a faithful servant of Christ on your behalf,
8. and who made clear to us your love in the Spirit.
9. Therefore also we, from the day we we heard, have not stopped praying and asking on your behalf that you may be filled with the knoweldge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual insight,
10. that you may walk worthily of the Lord, pleasing in all respects, bearing fruit in all good works and growing in the knowledge of God;
11. being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might, in all perseverance and patience with joy;
12. giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us for the inheritance of the saints in the light,
13. who rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingom of the son of his love,
14. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins.
15. Who is the image of the invisible God, firstborn of all creation,
16. for in him all things were created, the things in heaven, and the things on the earth, the visible things, and the unseen things, whether thrones, whether dominions, whether rulers, whether authorities; all things were created through him and in him,
17. and he is before all things, and all things in him are—and have been—held together,
18. and he is the head of the body, of the assembly, who is ruler, firstborn from the dead, so that in all things he might come to be preeminent,
19. That in him all fullness determined to dwell,
20. and through him to reconcile all things in himself—whether things on the earth, whether things in the heavens—making peace through the blood of his cross, through him.
21. And you, once being alienated and hostile in mind, in evil deeds—but now he has reconciled
22. in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and without blemish and unaccusable before him;
23. If indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and firm, and not being shifted from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.
24. Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you and I am filling up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for the sake of his body, which is the church;
25. of which I became a servant according to the stewardship from God given to me for you, to fully carry out the word of God,
26. the mystery that had been concealed for ages and generations, but now has been made known to his saints,
27. to whom God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory;
28. who we proclaim, admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom so that we may present every man mature in Christ Jesus,
29. for which even I toil, striving according to his working at work in me in power.
Chapter Navigation: [Chap 2], [Chap 3], [Chap 4]
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Chapter 2
1. For I want you to understand how large a struggle I have concerning you and the ones in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;
2. so that their hearts being united together would be encouraged in love and in all the riches of the fullness of understanding in the knowledge of the mystery of God and the father of the Christ,
3. in whom are all the treasures of the wisdom and knowledge hidden.
4. But this I say so that no one may deceive you with persuasive reasoning.
5. For though I am absent in the flesh, yet in spirit I am with you, rejoicing and seeing your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.
6. As you therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him,
7. having been firmly rooted and being built up in him and being established in the faith just as you were instructed, overflowing therein with gratitude.
8. See that none will be taking you captive through philosophy and empty deceit according to the tradition of men according to the elemental spirits of the world and not according to Christ,
9. that in him dwells bodily all the fullness of deity,
10. and you having been made mature are in him, who is the head of every ruler and power,
11. in whom also you were circumcised with circumcision not made by human hands for the stripping off of the body of sin of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ,
12. with him, we were buried together in baptism in whom also you were raised through the faith of the working of God who raised him from the dead.
13. And you being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumscision of your flesh, he made alive together with him, having forgiven you for all trespasses,
14. having wiped away the account that was against us, with its requirements, which were hostile to us, and has removed it from the midst, having himself nailed it to the cross,
15. having stripped off the rulers and the authorities, he made a public example, triumphing over them in him.
16. Let none, therefore, judge you in eating or in drinking or with regard to a feast or new moon or sabbaths,
17. which are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance is of Christ.
18. Let no one rob you of a prize taking pleasure in humility and worship of the angels, which have not appeared, going into vain detail, groundlessly inflated by the mind of his flesh,
19. and not holding fast the head, from which all the body through the joints and fetters are supplied and united together, growing through the growth from God.
20. If therefore you died with Christ to the elements of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you obligate yourselves to rules and ordinances?
21. “Neither handle, nor taste, nor touch”
22. (all of which perish with use), according to the commandments and teachings of men;
23. These things having a claim to wisdom in self-made religion, in humility, and in severe treatment of the body, but have no value against the indulgence of the flesh.
Chapter Navigation: [Chap 1], [Chap 3], [Chap 4]
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Chapter 3
1. If, therefore, you were raised with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God;
2. set your mind on the things above, not the things on the earth;
3. for you died, and your life has been hidden with Christ in God.
4. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you will also be revealed in glory with him.
5. Therefore, put to death your members that are on the earth—fornication, vileness, passion, evil lust, and avarice which is idolatry—
6. because of which the wrath of God comes on the sons of disobedience;
7. in which you also formerly walked, when you were living in them.
8. But now, you yourselves, put away these things—anger, rage, wickedness, slander, and obscene speech—from your mouth;
9. do not lie to one another, having put off the old man with his evil deeds,
10. and having put on the new man, who is being renewed in knowledge according to the likeness of the one having created him;
11. where there is no Greek and Jew, circumscision and uncircumscision, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free, but Christ is all and in all.
12. Therefore, as God’s elect, holy and beloved, put on compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience;
13. enduring each other and forgiving one another, if anyone has cause for complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, thus, also you;
14. but above all these, put on love, which is the bond of completeness;
15. and let the peace of God rule your hearts, to which, indeed, you have been called in one body and be thankful.
16. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, in all wisdom; teaching and exhorting one another in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs, in graciousness singing in your hearts to the Lord.
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.
18. Wives submit yourselves to your own husbands, as fitting in the Lord.
19. Husbands, love your wives and do not become bitter towards them.
20. Children, obey your parents in everything; for this is pleasing to the Lord.
21. Fathers, do not provoke your children, so that they do not become discouraged.
22. Slaves, obey in everything your earthly masters, not in eyeservice as menpleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing God;
23. whatever you do, in everything, work from the soul as to the Lord and not to men;
24. knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.
25. But the one who does wrong will be repaid for the wrong he has done; and there is no partiality.
Chapter Navigation: [Chap 1], [Chap 2], [Chap 4]
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Chapter 4
1. Masters, render to your slaves what is just and fair, knowing that you also have a master in heaven.
2. persevere in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving;
3. at the same time, praying also concerning us, so that God opens to us a door for the word to speak the mystery of Christ, for which, I am also bound.
4. That I may reveal it, as it is necessary for me to speak.
5. Walk in wisdom toward those outside, making the most of the time.
6. Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.
7. Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful servant and fellow-slave in the Lord, will make all things concerning me known to you;
8. whom I have sent to you for this very purpose, that he may know things concerning you and exhort your hearts;
9. with Onesimus a faithful and beloved brother, who is of you. They will make known to you all the things here.
10. Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, greets you, and Mark the cousin of Barnabas (concerning whom you received instructions—if he should come to you, receive him),
11. and Jesus, who is called Justus. These are the only ones of the circumcision among my fellow workers in the kingdom of God, and they have become a comfort to me.
12. Epaphras, who is one of you, slave of Christ, greets you, at all times striving for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.
13. For I testify for him that he has great zeal for you and those in Laodicea and those in Hierapolis.
14. Luke, the beloved physician, greets you, and Demas.
15. Greet the brothers in Laodicea and Nympha and the Church in his house.
16. When this letter is read among you, have it also read in the Laodicean church, and that you read the one from Laodicea.
17. Tell Archippus, “Take heed to the ministry you have received from the Lord, that you may fulfill it.”
18. The greeting by my hand—of Paul. Remember my bonds. Grace with you. Amen.
Chapter Navigation: [Chap 1], [Chap 2], [Chap 3]
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