Chapter 1
Paul an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God and Timothy the brother 2 to the saints and faithful brothers in Christ in Colossae: Grace and peace to you from God our Father.
3 We always give thanks to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ when praying concerning you, having heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which you have toward all the saints 5 because of the hope that is laid up for you in the heavens, which you previously heard in the word of truth of the gospel which came to you, as it is also bearing fruit and growing in all the world as also in you, from the day on which you heard and fully knew the grace of God in truth; 7 as you learned from Epaphras, our beloved fellow slave, who is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf, 8 the one who showed your love in the spirit to us.
9 Therefore we also, from the day on which we heard, do not cease praying on your behalf and asking in order that you may be filled with the full knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, 10 to walk worthily to all pleasing of the Lord, bearing fruit in every good work and growing in the full knowledge of God, 11 being empowered with all power according to the might of his glory to all endurance and longsuffering, with joy 12 giving thanks to the Father who has made you fit to share the lot of the saints in the light; 13 who delivered us out of the authority of the darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son whom he loves, 14 in whom we have the redemption, the forgiveness of our sins; 15 who is the image of the invisible God, firstborn of all creation, 16 because all things in the heavens and on the earth were created in him, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or lordships or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him; 17 and he is before all things and all things consisted in him, 18 and he is the head of the body, of the church; who is the beginning, firstborn from the dead, in order that he may be holding the first place in all things, 19 because all the fullness of God was well-pleased to dwell in him 20 and through him to reconcile all things to himself, making peace through the blood of his cross, through him whether the things on the earth or the things in the heavens. 21 And you were those who had been alienated and enemies in your mind by your evil works, 22 but now he reconciled you in his fleshly body through his death, to present you holy and blameless and irreproachable before him, 23 if indeed you continue in the faith, having been founded and steadfast and not being moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, that proclaimed in all creation under heaven, of which I Paul became a minister.
24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings on your behalf, and fill up the things lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh on behalf of his body, which is the church, 25 of which I became a minister according the stewardship of God given to me for you to fulfill the word of God, 26 the mystery that had been hidden from the ages and from the generations - but now was manifested to his saints, 27 to whom God wished to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the nations, who is Christ in you, the hope of the glory; 28 whom we announce, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, in order that we may present every man mature in Christ; 29 for which I also labor struggling according to his operation operating in me in power.

Chapter 2
For I wish you to know how great a struggle I have on behalf of you and they in Laodicia and as many as have not seen my face in person, 2 in order that their hearts may be comforted, being joined together in love and for all the riches of the full assurance of understanding, for full knowledge of the mystery of God, of Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and of knowledge. 4 I say this in order that no one may beguile you with persuasive speech. 5 For indeed if I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in the spirit, rejoicing and seeing your order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.
6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in him, 7 having been rooted and being built up in him and being confirmed in the faith as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. 8 Watch lest there shall be anyone robbing you through philosophy and empty deceit according to the tradition of men, according to the elements of the world and not according to Christ; 9 because in him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, 10 and you are those who have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority, 11 in whom you were also circumcised with a circumcision not wrought by hand by the putting off of the flesh of the body, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 co-buried with him in the baptism, in whom you were also co-raised through the faith in the operation of God who raised him from the dead; 13 and you who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, he co-quickened you with him, forgiving you all your trespasses; 14 wiping out the handwriting in ordinances against us which was contrary to us, and has taken it out of our midst, nailing it to the cross; 15 putting off the rulers and authorities, he exposed them with openness, triumphing over them in it.
16 Therefore, do not let anyone judge you in eating and in drinking or in respect of a feast or of a new moon or of Sabbaths, 17 which things are but a shadow of things that are coming, of the body of Christ. 18 Let no one who hopes in humility and worship of the angels give judgment against you, intruding into things which he has seen, vainly being puffed up by the mind of his flesh, 19 and not holding the head, from whom all the body is supplied and joined together by means of its joints and sinews will grow with the growth of God.
20 If you died with Christ from the elements of the world, why as those who live in the world are you subject to its decrees: 21 do not touch nor taste nor handle, 22 which things are all to perish in the using; according to the injunctions and teachings of men? 23 Indeed, there is a repute of wisdom in such things as self-imposed worship and humility and severity of the body, but not any honor for satisfaction of the flesh.

Chapter 3
Therefore if you were co-raised with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God; 2 mind the things above, not the things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life has been hidden with Christ in God; 4 whenever Christ, our life, is manifested, then you will also be manifested with him in glory.
5 Therefore put to death your members on earth, fornication, uncleanness, passion, bad desire, and covetousness which is idolatry, 6 because of which things the wrath of God is coming; 7 in which indeed you walked then, when you lived in these things; 8 but now you must also put away all these things: wrath, anger, malice, blasphemy, abuse out of your mouth; 9 do not lie to one another, having put off the old man with his practices, 10 and having put on the new man who is renewed in full knowledge according to the image of the one who created him, 11 where there is no place for Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave, freeman, but Christ is all things and in all. 12 Therefore put on, as God's chosen ones who are holy and have been loved, bowels of compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, long-suffering, 13 forbearing one another and forgiving yourselves, if anyone has a complaint against anyone; as indeed the Lord forgave you, so also you; 14 and over all these things is love, which is the bond of completeness. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. 18 And let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing yourselves in all wisdom, singing with grace in your hearts to God in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs; 17 and everything whatever you do in word or works, do all things in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
18 The wives, be subject to your husbands, as is befitting in the Lord. 19 The husbands, love your wives and do not be bitter towards them. 20 The children, obey your parents in all respects, for this is well-pleasing in the Lord. 21 The fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they be disheartened. 22 The slaves, obey your lord according to the flesh in all respects, not with eye-service as men-pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, work from your soul as to the Lord and not to men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance.  You serve the Lord Christ; 25 for the one who does wrong will receive what he did wrong, and there is no respect of persons.

Chapter 4
You who are lords, supply your slaves that which is just and equal, knowing that you also have a Lord in heaven.
2 Continue in prayer, watching in it with thanksgiving, praying together also concerning us, that God may open to us a door of the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, because of which indeed I have been bound, 4 in order that I may manifest it however I should speak. 5 Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. 6 Let your speech always be in grace, having been seasoned with salt, to know how you should answer each one.
7 All the things about me Tychicus will make known to you, the beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow-slave in the Lord, 8 whom I sent to you for this very thing, in order that you might know the things concerning us and that he might comfort your hearts, with Onesimus the faithful and beloved brother, who is of you; they will make known to you all the things here.
10 Aristarchus my fellow captive greets you, and Mark the cousin of Barnabas, (concerning whom you received commandments, if he comes to you, receive him,) 11 and Jesus who is named Justus, these are my only fellow-workers for the kingdom of God who are of the circumcision, who became a comfort to me. 12 Epaphras, who is one of you, greets you; a slave of Christ Jesus, who is always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, in order that you may stand complete and that you have been fully assured in all the will of God. 13 For I bear witness to him that he has much distress on behalf of you and those in Laodicea and those in Hierapolis. 14 Luke the beloved physician and Demas greet you. 15 Greet the brothers in Laodicea and Nymphas and the church at her house. 16 And whenever this epistle is read before you, make sure that it is also read in the Laodicean church, and that you also read the one of Laodicea. 17 And tell Archippus:  Look to the ministry which you received in the Lord, in order that you may fulfill it.
18 The greeting by my hand, of Paul.  Remember my bonds.  Grace be with you.