THE HOLY
BIBLE
THE LETTER OF ST. PAUL TO THE COLOSSIANS The Letter of St. Paul to the Colossians, Chapter 1 1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the will of God, and
Timothy, a brother,
2 To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ Jesus, who
are at Colossa.
3 Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from
the Lord Jesus Christ. We give thanks to God, and the
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you.
4 Hearing your faith in Christ Jesus, and the love which you
have towards all the saints.
5 For the hope that is laid up for you in heaven, which you
have heard in the word of the truth of the gospel,
6 Which is come unto you, as also it is in the whole world,
and bringeth forth fruit and groweth, even as it doth in
you, since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in
truth.
7 As you learned of Epaphras, our most beloved fellow
servant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ
Jesus;
8 Who also hath manifested to us your love in the spirit.
9 Therefore we also, from the day that we heard it, cease
not to pray for you, and to beg that you may be filled
with the knowledge of his will, in all wisdom, and
spiritual understanding:
10 That you may walk worthy of God, in all things pleasing;
being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the
knowledge of God:
11 Strengthened with all might, according to the power of his
glory, in all patience and longsuffering with joy,
12 Giving thanks to God the Father, who hath made us worthy
to be partakers of the lot of the saints in light:
13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath
translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love,
14 In, whom we have redemption through his blood, the
remission of sins;
15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of
every creature:
16 For in him were all things created in heaven and on earth,
visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominations, or
principalities, or powers: all things were created by him
and in him.
17 And he is before all, 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 may hold the primacy:
19 Because in him, it hath well pleased the Father, that all
fullness should dwell;
20 And through him to reconcile all things unto himself,
making peace through the blood of his cross, both as to
the things that are on earth, and the things that are in
heaven.
21 And you, whereas you were some time alienated and enemies
in mind in evil works:
22 Yet now he hath reconciled in the body of his flesh
through death, to present you holy and unspotted, and
blameless before him:
23 If so ye continue in the faith, grounded and settled, and
immoveable from the hope of the gospel which you have
heard, which is preached in all the creation that is under
heaven, whereof I Paul am made a minister.
24 Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up
those things that are wanting of the sufferings of Christ,
in my flesh, for his body, which is the church:
25 Whereof I am made a minister according to the dispensation
of God, which is given me towards you, that I may fulfil
the word of God:
26 The mystery which hath been hidden from ages and
generations, but now is manifested to his saints,
27 To whom God would make known the riches of the glory of
this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ, in you
the hope of glory.
28 Whom we preach, admonishing every man, and teaching every
man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect
in Christ Jesus.
29 Wherein also I labour, striving according to his working
which he worketh in me in power.
The Letter of St. Paul to the Colossians, Chapter 2
1 For I would have you know, what manner of care I have for
you and for them that are at Laodicea, and whosoever have
not seen my face in the flesh:
2 That their hearts may be comforted, being instructed in
charity, and unto all riches of fulness of understanding,
unto the knowledge of the mystery of God the Father and of
Christ Jesus:
3 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
4 Now this I say, that no man may deceive you by loftiness
of words.
5 For though I be absent in body, yet in spirit I am with
you; rejoicing, and beholding your order, and the
steadfastness of your faith which is in Christ.
6 As therefore you have received Jesus Christ the Lord, walk
ye in him;
7 Rooted and built up in him, and confirmed in the faith, as
also you have learned, abounding in him in thanksgiving.
8 Beware lest any man cheat you by philosophy, and vain
deceit; according to the tradition of men, according to
the elements of the world, and not according to Christ:
9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead
corporeally;
10 And you are filled in him, who is the head of all
principality and power:
11 In whom also you are circumcised with circumcision not
made by hand, in despoiling of the body of the flesh, but
in the circumcision of Christ:
12 Buried with him in baptism, in whom also you are risen
again by the faith of the operation of God, who hath
raised him up from the dead.
13 And you, when you were dead in your sins, and the
uncircumcision of your flesh; he hath quickened together
with him, forgiving you all offences:
14 Blotting out the handwriting of the decree that was
against us, which was contrary to us. And he hath taken
the same out of the way, fastening it to the cross:
15 And despoiling the principalities and powers, he hath
exposed them confidently in open shew, triumphing over
them in himself.
16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat or in drink, or in
respect of a festival day, or of the new moon, or of the
sabbaths,
17 Which are a shadow of things to come, but the body is of
Christ.
18 Let no man seduce you, willing in humility, and religion
of angels, walking in the things which he hath not seen,
in vain puffed up by the sense of his flesh,
19 And not holding the head, from which the whole body, by
joints and bands, being supplied with nourishment and
compacted, groweth unto the increase of God.
20 If then you be dead with Christ from the elements of this
world, why do you yet decree as though living in the
world?
21 Touch not, taste not, handle not:
22 Which all are unto destruction by the very use, according
to the precepts and doctrines of men.
23 Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in superstition
and humility, and not sparing the body; not in any honour
to the filling of the flesh.
The Letter of St. Paul to the Colossians, Chapter 3
1 Therefore, if you be risen with Christ, seek the things
that are above; where Christ is sitting at the right hand
of God:
2 Mind the things that are above, not the things that are
upon the earth.
3 For you are dead; and your life is hid with Christ in God.
4 When Christ shall appear, who is your life, then you also
shall appear with him in glory.
5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth;
fornication, uncleanness, lust, evil concupiscence, and
covetousness, which is the service of idols.
6 For which things the wrath of God cometh upon the children
of unbelief,
7 In which you also walked some time, when you lived in
them.
8 But now put you also all away: anger, indignation,
malice, blasphemy, filthy speech out of your mouth.
9 Lie not one to another: stripping yourselves of the old
man with his deeds,
10 And putting on the new, him who is renewed unto knowledge,
according to the image of him that created him.
11 Where there is neither Gentile nor Jew, circumcision nor
uncircumcision, Barbarian nor Scythian, bond nor free.
But Christ is all, and in all.
12 Put ye on therefore, as the elect of God, holy, and
beloved, the bowels of mercy, benignity, humility,
modesty, patience:
13 Bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if
any have a complaint against another: even as the Lord
hath forgiven you, so do you also.
14 But above all these things have charity, which is the bond
of perfection:
15 And let the peace of Christ rejoice in your hearts,
wherein also you are called in one body: and be ye
thankful.
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you abundantly, in all
wisdom: teaching and admonishing one another in psalms,
hymns, and spiritual canticles, singing in grace in your
hearts to God.
17 All whatsoever you do in word or in work, do all in the
name of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God and
the Father by him.
18 Wives, be subject to your husbands, as it behoveth in the
Lord.
19 Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter towards them.
20 Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is
well pleasing to the Lord.
21 Fathers, provoke not your children to indignation, lest
they be discouraged.
22 Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the
flesh, not serving to the eye, as pleasing men, but in
simplicity of heart, fearing God.
23 Whatsoever you do, do it from the heart, as to the Lord,
and not to men:
24 Knowing that you shall receive of the Lord the reward of
inheritance. Serve ye the Lord Christ.
25 For he that doth wrong, shall receive for that which he
hath done wrongfully: and there is no respect of persons
with God.
The Letter of St. Paul to the Colossians, Chapter 4
1 Masters, do to your servants that which is just and equal:
knowing that you also have a master in heaven.
2 Be instant in prayer; watching in it with thanksgiving:
3 Praying withal for us also, that God may open unto us a
door of speech to speak the mystery of Christ (for which
also I am bound;)
4 That I may make it manifest as I ought to speak.
5 Walk with wisdom towards them that are without, redeeming
the time.
6 Let your speech be always in grace seasoned with salt:
that you may know how you ought to answer every man.
7 All the things that concern me, Tychicus, our dearest
brother, and faithful minister and fellow servant in the
Lord, will make known to you.
8 Whom I have sent to you for this same purpose, that he may
know the things that concern you, and comfort your hearts:
9 With Onesimus, a most beloved and faithful brother, who is
one of you. All things that are done here, they shall make
known to you.
10 Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, saluteth you: and Mark,
the cousin german of Barnabus, touching whom you have
received commandments; if he come unto you, receive him.
11 And Jesus, that is called Justus: who are of the
circumcision: these only are my helpers in the kingdom of
God; who have been a comfort to me.
12 Epaphras saluteth you, who is one of you, a servant of
Christ Jesus, who is always solicitous for you in prayers,
that you may stand perfect, and full in all the will of
God.
13 For I bear him testimony that he hath much labour for you,
and for them that are at Laodicea, and them at Hierapolis.
14 Luke, the most dear physician, saluteth you: and Demas.
15 Salute the brethren who are at Laodicea, and Nymphas, and
the church that is in his house.
16 And when this epistle shall have been read with you, cause
that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans: and
that you read that which is of the Laodiceans.
17 And say to Archippus: Take heed to the ministry which
thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it.
18 The salutation of Paul with my own hand. Be mindful of my
bands. Grace be with you. Amen.
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