a Gr unto the ages. ye only; for even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my need. "Not that I seek for the thes gift; but I seek for the fruit that increaseth to your account. 18 But I have all things, and abound: I am filled, having received from Epaphroditus the things that came from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well-pleasing to God. "And my God shall fulfil every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Now unto our God and Father be the glory "for ever and ever. Amen. 21 Salute every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren which are with me salute you. 22 All the saints salute you, especially they that are of Caesar's household. 20 23 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. The Epistle of PAUL the Apostle to the I. 2 Gr the Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, and Timothy 'our brother, to the brother. saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colossa: Grace to you and peace from God our Father. 3 We give thanks to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, having heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have toward all the saints, because of the hope which is laid up for you in the heavens, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel, cor, to which is come unto you; even as it is also in all the world bearing fruit and increasing, as it doth in you also, since the day ye heard and knew the grace of the God in truth; even as ye learned of Epaphras our those that are at Colassa, hand faithful in Christ • Many beloved fellow-servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, who also declared unto us ancient your love in the Spirit. authorities read your. unto all in every work, fruit and ing, etc. d Gr. made • Or, in 9 ancient authori ties read hold to 9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray and make request for you, or, that ye may be filled with the knowledge of his will pleasing. in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, "to walk good worthily of the Lord 'unto all pleasing, bearing bearing fruit in every good work, and increasing in the increas knowledge of God; "strengthened 'with all power, according to the might of his glory, unto all patience “Or, by and longsuffering with joy; "giving thanks unto the Father, who made us meet to be partakers of the powerful. inheritance of the saints in light; "who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love; "in whom Some we have our redemption, the forgiveness of our sins: who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; "for in him were all things created, in the heavens and upon the earth, things ther visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have th been created through him, and unto him; "and height is before all things, and in him all things consist. 18And he is the head of the body, the church: who the whole is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; "that God s in all things he might have the preeminence. 19 For to dwell it was the good pleasure of the Father that in him should all the fulness dwell; and through him to r reconcile all things 'unto himself, having made peace through the blood of his cross; through him, I say, *Or, him whether things upon the earth, or things in the heavens. "And you, being in time past alienated and enemies in your mind in your evil works, yet ties read now 'hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh been re through death, to present you holy and without among all Or, For fulness of pleased in him j Or, into him ¿Some ancient authori ye have conciled. a Or, ship blemish and unreproveable before him: 3if so be that ye continue in the faith, grounded and stedfast, steward and not moved away from the hope of the gospel which ye heard, which was preached in all creation under heaven; whereof I Paul was made a minister. 26 Gr. from the ages the generations. 24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and fill up on my part that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church; 25whereof I was made a minister, according to the "dispensation of God which was m given me to you-ward, to fulfil the word of God, even the mystery which hath been hid 'from all ages and generations: but now hath it been manifested to his saints, to whom God was pleased to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: 28whom we proclaim, admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we power may present every man perfect in Christ; 29 whereunto I labour also, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily. II. • Or, in fulness For I would have you know how greatly I strive for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh; Or, 'that their hearts may be comforted, they being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the "full assurance of understanding, that they may know the mystery of God, even Christ, in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden. This I say, that no one may delude you you with suasiveness of speech. For though I am absent in The the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ. per 6 As therefore ye received Christ Jesus the Lord, ancient authori mich in ties vary the text of this passage. so walk in him, 'rooted and builded up in him, and Or, by stablished in your faith, even as ye were taught, Some ancient ties insert in it. Or, See whether d Or, elements • Or, abounding in thanksgiving. 8 Take heed lest there shall be any one that authori maketh spoil of you through his philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the drudiments of the world, and not after Christ: "for in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily, and in him ye are made full, who is the head of all principality and power: "in whom ye were also circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the body of the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ; "having been buried the bond with him in baptism, wherein ye were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. And you, being dead through your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, you, I say, did he quicken together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses; "having blotted out the bond written in ordinances that his body, was against us, which was contrary to us: and he a show of hath taken it out of the way, nailing it to the cross; cipalities, 15/having put off from himself the principalities and the powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it. that was against us by its ordi nances Or, having put off from himself he made the prin • Or, of his on mere will, by etc. Or. taking his stand 16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or humility, in drink, or in respect of a feast day or a new moon or a sabbath day: "which are a shadow of the things to come; but the body is Christ's. Let no man rob you of your prize by a voluntary humility and worshipping of the angels, "dwelling in the things which he hath 'seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, and not holding fast the Head, from whom authori all the body, being supplied and knit together through the joints and bands, increaseth with the increase of God. upon Many ties, some anc ent, insert not. 22 • Or, 20 If ye died with Christ from the "rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, do elements ye subject yourselves to ordinances, "Handle not, nor taste, nor touch (all which things are to perish with the using), after the precepts and doctrines of men? 23Which things have indeed a show of wisdom in will-worship, and humility, and severity to the r body; but are not of any 'value against the indulgence of the flesh. III. honour ancient ties read If then ye were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ Many is, seated on the right hand of God. Set your mind authori on the things that are above, not on the things that your. are upon the earth. For ye died, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is 'our life, shall be manifested, then shall ye also with him be manifested in glory. 8 d Make • Some ancient 5 Mortify therefore your members which are Gr upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, passion, dead. evil desire, and covetousness, the which is idolatry ; for which things' sake cometh the wrath of God 'upon the sons of disobedience; in the which ye also walked aforetime, when ye lived in these things. But now put ye also away all these; anger, wrath, malice, railing, shameful speaking out of your authori mouth lie not one to another; seeing that ye upon the have put off the old man with his doings, and have d put on the new man, which is being renewed unto 6. knowledge after the image of him that created him: "where there cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bondman, freeman: but Christ is all, and in all. ties omit sons of obedience. See Eph. 12 Put on therefore, as God's elect, holy and be- Or, loved, a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, amongst meekness, longsuffering; forbearing one another, |