Colossians
Bible, King James Version (KJV)
Colossians
Col.1
[
1] Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God,
and Timotheus our brother,
[
2] To the saints and faithful brethren in
Christ which are at Colosse: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ.
[
3] We give thanks to God and the Father of
our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,
[
4] Since we heard of
your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the
saints,
[
5] For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof
ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;
[
6] Which is
come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth
also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in
truth:
[
7] As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellowservant, who
is for you a faithful minister of Christ;
[
8] Who also declared unto
us your love in the Spirit.
[
9] For this cause we also, since the day
we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled
with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual
understanding;
[
10] That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all
pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of
God;
[
11] Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious
power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;
[
12]
Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the
inheritance of the saints in light:
[
13] Who hath delivered us from
the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear
Son:
[
14] In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the
forgiveness of sins:
[
15] Who is the image of the invisible God, the
firstborn of every creature:
[
16] For by him were all things created,
that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they
be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created
by him, and for him:
[
17] And he is before all things, 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 might have
the preeminence.
[
19] For it pleased the Father that in him should all
fulness dwell;
[
20] And, having made peace through the blood of his
cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they
be things in earth, or things in heaven.
[
21] And you, that were
sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he
reconciled
[
22] In the body of his flesh through death, to present you
holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:
[
23] If ye
continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope
of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature
which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;
[
24] Who now
rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the
afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the
church:
[
25] Whereof I am made a minister, according to the
dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of
God;
[
26] Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from
generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
[
27] To whom God
would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the
Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
[
28] Whom we
preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may
present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:
[
29] Whereunto I also
labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.
Col.2
[
1] For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for
you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the
flesh;
[
2] That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together
in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the
acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of
Christ;
[
3] In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and
knowledge.
[
4] And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with
enticing words.
[
5] For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with
you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your
faith in Christ.
[
6] As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the
Lord, so walk ye in him:
[
7] Rooted and built up in him, and
stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with
thanksgiving.
[
8] Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and
vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and
not after Christ.
[
9] For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the
Godhead bodily.
[
10] And ye are complete in him, which is the head of
all principality and power:
[
11] In whom also ye are circumcised with
the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the
flesh by the circumcision of Christ:
[
12] Buried with him in baptism,
wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God,
who hath raised him from the dead.
[
13] And you, being dead in your
sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him,
having forgiven you all trespasses;
[
14] Blotting out the handwriting
of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of
the way, nailing it to his cross;
[
15] And having spoiled
principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them
in it.
[
16] Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in
respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath
days:
[
17] Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of
Christ.
[
18] Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary
humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath
not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,
[
19] And not holding
the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment
ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of
God.
[
20] Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of
the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to
ordinances,
[
21] (Touch not; taste not; handle not;
[
22]
Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of
men?
[
23] Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship,
and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of
the flesh.
Col.3
[
1] If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things
which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
[
2]
Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
[
3]
For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
[
4] When
Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in
glory.
[
5] Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth;
fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and
covetousness, which is idolatry:
[
6] For which things' sake the wrath
of God cometh on the children of disobedience:
[
7] In the which ye
also walked some time, when ye lived in them.
[
8] But now ye also put
off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your
mouth.
[
9] Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old
man with his deeds;
[
10] And have put on the new man, which is renewed
in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
[
11] Where there
is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian,
bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.
[
12] Put on therefore,
as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness
of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
[
13] Forbearing one another, and
forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ
forgave you, so also do ye.
[
14] And above all these things put on
charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
[
15] And let the peace of
God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye
thankful.
[
16] Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all
wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual
songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
[
17] And
whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving
thanks to God and the Father by him.
[
18] Wives, submit yourselves
unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.
[
19] Husbands, love
your wives, and be not bitter against them.
[
20] Children, obey your
parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.
[
21]
Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be
discouraged.
[
22] Servants, obey in all things your masters according
to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart,
fearing God:
[
23] And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the
Lord, and not unto men;
[
24] Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive
the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.
[
25] But
he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is
no respect of persons.
Col.4
[
1] Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and
equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven.
[
2] Continue in
prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;
[
3] Withal praying
also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the
mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds:
[
4] That I may make
it manifest, as I ought to speak.
[
5] Walk in wisdom toward them that
are without, redeeming the time.
[
6] Let your speech be alway with
grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every
man.
[
7] All my state shall Tychicus declare unto you, who is a
beloved brother, and a faithful minister and fellowservant in the
Lord:
[
8] Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that he
might know your estate, and comfort your hearts;
[
9] With Onesimus, a
faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They shall make known unto you
all things which are done here.
[
10] Aristarchus my fellowprisoner
saluteth you, and Marcus, sister's son to Barnabas, (touching whom ye received
commandments: if he come unto you, receive him;)
[
11] And Jesus, which
is called Justus, who are of the circumcision. These only are my fellowworkers
unto the kingdom of God, which have been a comfort unto me.
[
12]
Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring
fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the
will of God.
[
13] For I bear him record, that he hath a great zeal for
you, and them that are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis.
[
14] Luke,
the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you.
[
15] Salute the brethren
which are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church which is in his
house.
[
16] And when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be
read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that ye likewise read the epistle
from Laodicea.
[
17] And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry
which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it.
[
18] The
salutation by the hand of me Paul. Remember my bonds. Grace be with you.
Amen.
