Colossians 2

Not Philosophy but Christ

1 For I want you to know what a greatconflict I have for you and those in Laodicea, andforas many as have not seen my face in the flesh,

2 that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, andattainingto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ,

3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

4 Now this I saylest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words.

5 Forthough I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to seeyourgoodorder and thesteadfastness of your faith in Christ.

6 As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,

7 rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.

8 Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according tothe tradition of men, according to thebasic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.

9 Forin Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily;

10 and you are complete in Him, who is thehead of all principality and power.

Not Legalism but Christ

11 In Him you were alsocircumcised with the circumcision made without hands, byputting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ,

12 buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised withHimthroughfaith in the working of God,who raised Him from the dead.

13 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses,

14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.

15 Having disarmedprincipalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.

16 So let no onejudge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths,

17 which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.

18 Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight infalsehumility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,

19 and not holding fast tothe Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments,grows with the increasethatisfrom God.

20 Therefore, if youdied with Christ from the basic principles of the world,why, asthoughliving in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations—

21 “Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,”

22 which all concern things which perish with the using—according to the commandments and doctrines of men?

23 These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion,falsehumility, and neglect of the body,butareof no value against the indulgence of the flesh.

Colossians 3

Not Carnality but Christ

1 If then you wereraised with Christ, seek those things which are above,where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.

2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on theearth.

3 For you died,and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

4 When Christwhoisour life appears, then you also will appear with Him inglory.

5 Therefore put to deathyour members which are on the earth:fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness,which is idolatry.

6 Because of these things the wrath of God is coming uponthe sons of disobedience,

7 in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.

8 But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth.

9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds,

10 and have put on the newmanwhois renewed in knowledgeaccording to the image of Him whocreated him,

11 where there is neitherGreek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slavenorfree,but Christisall and in all.

Character of the New Man

12 Therefore,astheelect of God, holy and beloved,put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;

13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you alsomustdo.

14 But above all these thingsput on love, which is thebond of perfection.

15 And letthe peace of God rule in your hearts,to which also you were calledin one body; andbe thankful.

16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one anotherin psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

17 Andwhatever you do in word or deed,doall in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

The Christian Home

18 Wives, submit to your own husbands,as is fitting in the Lord.

19 Husbands, love your wives and do not bebitter toward them.

20 Children, obey your parentsin all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord.

21 Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.

22 Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God.

23 And whatever you do, do it heartily, 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 he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done, andthere is no partiality.

Colossians 4

1 Masters,give your bondservants what is just and fair, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.

Christian Graces

2 Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in itwith thanksgiving;

3 meanwhile praying also for us, that God wouldopen to us a door for the word, to speakthe mystery of Christ,for which I am also in chains,

4 that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.

5 Walk inwisdom toward thosewhoareoutside,redeeming the time.

6 Letyour speech alwaysbewith grace,seasoned with salt,that you may know how you ought to answer each one.

Final Greetings

7 Tychicus, a beloved brother, faithful minister, and fellow servant in the Lord, will tell you all the news about me.

8 I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that he may know your circumstances and comfort your hearts,

9 withOnesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who isoneof you. They will make known to you all things whicharehappeninghere.

10 Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, withMark the cousin of Barnabas (about whom you received instructions: if he comes to you, welcome him),

11 and Jesus who is called Justus. Thesearemyonly fellow workers for the kingdom of God who are of the circumcision; they have proved to be a comfort to me.

12 Epaphras, who isoneof you, a bondservant of Christ, greets you, alwayslaboring fervently for you in prayers, that you may standperfect and complete in all the will of God.

13 For I bear him witness that he has a great zeal for you, and those who are in Laodicea, and those in Hierapolis.

14 Luke the beloved physician andDemas greet you.

15 Greet the brethren who are in Laodicea, and Nymphas andthe church thatisin his house.

Closing Exhortations and Blessing

16 Now whenthis epistle is read among you, see that it is read also in the church of the Laodiceans, and that you likewise read theepistlefrom Laodicea.

17 And say toArchippus, “Take heed tothe ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it.”

18 This salutation by my own hand—Paul.Remember my chains. Gracebewith you. Amen.

Philippians 1

Greeting

1 Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ,

# To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops anddeacons:

2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Thankfulness and Prayer

3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,

4 always inevery prayer of mine making request for you all with joy,

5 for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now,

6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has beguna good work in you will completeituntil the day of Jesus Christ;

7 just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace.

8 For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ.

9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment,

10 that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ,

11 being filled with the fruits of righteousnesswhichareby Jesus Christ,to the glory and praise of God.

Christ Is Preached

12 But I want you to know, brethren, that the thingswhichhappenedto me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel,

13 so that it has become evidentto the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ;

14 and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.

15 Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill:

16 The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains;

17 but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel.

18 What then? Onlythatin every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice.

To Live Is Christ

19 For I know thatthis will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,

20 according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, butwith all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by lifeor by death.

21 For to me, to liveisChrist, and to dieisgain.

22 But ifIlive on in the flesh, thiswillmeanfruit frommylabor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell.

23 For I am hard-pressed between the two, having adesire to depart and be with Christ,whichisfar better.

24 Nevertheless to remain in the fleshismore needful for you.

25 And being confident of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith,

26 thatyour rejoicing for me may be more abundant in Jesus Christ by my coming to you again.

Striving and Suffering for Christ

27 Onlylet your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit,with one mindstriving together for the faith of the gospel,

28 and not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God.

29 For to youit has been granted on behalf of Christ,not only to believe in Him, but also tosuffer for His sake,

30 having the same conflictwhich you saw in me and now hearisin me.

Philippians 2

Unity Through Humility

1 Therefore ifthereisany consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if anyaffection and mercy,

2 fulfill my joyby being like-minded, having the same love,beingofone accord, of one mind.

3 Letnothingbedonethrough selfish ambition or conceit, butin lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.

4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests ofothers.

The Humbled and Exalted Christ

5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,

6 who,being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,

7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the formof a bondservant,andcoming in the likeness of men.

8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself andbecameobedient tothepointofdeath, even the death of the cross.

9 Therefore God alsohas highly exalted Him andgiven Him the name which is above every name,

10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,

11 andthatevery tongue should confess that Jesus ChristisLord, to the glory of God the Father.

Light Bearers

12 Therefore, my beloved,as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence,work out your own salvation withfear and trembling;

13 forit is God who works in you both to will and to doforHisgood pleasure.

14 Do all thingswithout complaining anddisputing,

15 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine aslights in the world,

16 holding fast the word of life, so thatI may rejoice in the day of Christ thatI have not run in vain or labored invain.

17 Yes, and ifI am being poured outasadrinkofferingon the sacrificeand service of your faith,I am glad and rejoice with you all.

18 For the same reason you also be glad and rejoice with me.

Timothy Commended

19 But I trust in the Lord Jesus to sendTimothy to you shortly, that I also may be encouraged when I know your state.

20 For I have no onelike-minded, who will sincerely care for your state.

21 For all seek their own, not the things which are of Christ Jesus.

22 But you know his proven character,that as a son withhisfather he served with me in the gospel.

23 Therefore I hope to send him at once, as soon as I see how it goes with me.

24 But I trust in the Lord that I myself shall also come shortly.

Epaphroditus Praised

25 Yet I considered it necessary to send to youEpaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, andfellow soldier,but your messenger andthe one who ministered to my need;

26 since he was longing for you all, and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick.

27 For indeed he was sick almost unto death; but God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.

28 Therefore I sent him the more eagerly, that when you see him again you may rejoice, and I may be less sorrowful.

29 Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness, and hold such men in esteem;

30 because for the work of Christ he came close to death, not regarding his life,to supply what was lacking in your service toward me.

Philippians 3

All for Christ

1 Finally, my brethren,rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to youisnot tedious, but for youitissafe.

2 Beware of dogs, beware ofevil workers,beware of the mutilation!

3 For we arethe circumcision,who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh,

4 thoughI also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, Imore so:

5 circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel,ofthe tribe of Benjamin,a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law,a Pharisee;

6 concerning zeal,persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.

7 Butwhat things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.

8 Yet indeed I also count all things lossfor the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ

9 and be found in Him, not havingmy own righteousness, whichisfrom the law, butthat whichisthrough faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;

10 that I may know Him and thepower of His resurrection, andthe fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,

11 if, by any means, I mayattain to the resurrection from the dead.

Pressing Toward the Goal

12 Not that I have alreadyattained, or am alreadyperfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.

13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thingIdo,forgetting those things which are behind andreaching forward to those things which are ahead,

14 I press toward the goal for the prize ofthe upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

15 Therefore let us, as many as aremature,have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise,God will reveal even this to you.

16 Nevertheless, tothedegreethat we have already attained,let us walkby the same rule, let us be of the same mind.

Our Citizenship in Heaven

17 Brethren,join in following my example, and note those who so walk, asyou have us for a pattern.

18 For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping,thattheyarethe enemies of the cross of Christ:

19 whose endisdestruction,whose godistheirbelly, andwhosegloryisin their shame—who set their mind on earthly things.

20 Forour citizenship is in heaven,from which we alsoeagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,

21 who will transform our lowly body that it may beconformed to His glorious body,according to the working by which He is able even tosubdue all things to Himself.

Philippians 4

1 Therefore, my beloved andlonged-for brethren,my joy and crown, sostand fast in the Lord, beloved.

Be United, Joyful, and in Prayer

2 I implore Euodia and I implore Syntycheto be of the same mind in the Lord.

3 And I urge you also, true companion, help these women wholabored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose namesareinthe Book of Life.

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!

5 Let your gentleness be known to all men.The Lordisat hand.

6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, withthanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;

7 andthe peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Meditate on These Things

8 Finally, brethren, whatever things aretrue, whatever thingsarenoble, whatever thingsarejust,whatever thingsarepure, whatever thingsarelovely, whatever thingsareof good report, ifthereisany virtue and ifthereisanything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.

9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, andthe God of peace will be with you.

Philippian Generosity

10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at lastyour care for me has flourished again; though you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity.

11 Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am,to be content:

12 I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

13 I can do all thingsthrough Christ who strengthens me.

14 Nevertheless you have done well thatyou shared in my distress.

15 Now you Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia,no church shared with me concerning giving and receiving but you only.

16 For even in Thessalonica you sentaidonce and again for my necessities.

17 Not that I seek the gift, but I seekthe fruit that abounds to your account.

18 Indeed I have all and abound. I am full, having received fromEpaphroditus the thingssentfrom you,a sweet-smelling aroma,an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God.

19 And my Godshall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

20 Now to our God and Fatherbeglory forever and ever. Amen.

Greeting and Blessing

21 Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethrenwho are with me greet you.

22 All the saints greet you, but especially those who are of Caesar’s household.

23 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

Ephesians 1

Greeting

1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God,

To the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus:

2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Redemption in Christ

3 Blessedbethe God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenlyplacesin Christ,

4 just asHe chose us in Himbefore the foundation of the world, that we shouldbe holy and without blame before Him in love,

5 having predestined us toadoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself,according to the good pleasure of His will,

6 to the praise of the glory of His grace,by which He made us accepted inthe Beloved.

7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according tothe riches of His grace

8 which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence,

9 having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasurewhich He purposed in Himself,

10 that in the dispensation ofthe fullness of the timesHe might gather together in oneall things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him.

11 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according tothe purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will,

12 that wewho first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.

13 In Him you alsotrusted,after you heardthe word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed,you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,

14 who is the guarantee of our inheritanceuntil the redemption ofthe purchased possession,to the praise of His glory.

Prayer for Spiritual Wisdom

15 Therefore I also,after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints,

16 do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers:

17 thatthe God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory,may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him,

18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what isthe hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,

19 and whatisthe exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe,according to the working of His mighty power

20 which He worked in Christ whenHe raised Him from the dead andseatedHimat His right hand in the heavenlyplaces,

21 far above allprincipality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.

22 AndHe put allthingsunder His feet, and gave Himtobehead over allthingsto the church,

23 which is His body,the fullness of Himwho fills all in all.

Ephesians 2

By Grace Through Faith

1 AndyouHemadealive,who were dead in trespasses and sins,

2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according tothe prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works inthe sons of disobedience,

3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves inthe lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, andwere by nature children of wrath, just as the others.

4 But God,who is rich in mercy, because of Hisgreat love with which He loved us,

5 even when we were dead in trespasses,made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),

6 and raisedusup together, and madeussit togetherin the heavenlyplacesin Christ Jesus,

7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace inHiskindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

8 For by grace you have been savedthrough faith, and that not of yourselves;itisthe gift of God,

9 not ofworks, lest anyone shouldboast.

10 For we areHis workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Brought Near by His Blood

11 Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh—who are called Uncircumcision by what is calledthe Circumcision made in the flesh by hands—

12 that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.

13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

Christ Our Peace

14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation,

15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity,thatis,the law of commandmentscontainedin ordinances, so as to create in Himself onenew manfromthe two,thusmaking peace,

16 and that He mightreconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, therebyputting to death the enmity.

17 And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near.

18 Forthrough Him we both have accessby one Spirit to the Father.

Christ Our Cornerstone

19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,

20 having beenbuilton the foundation of theapostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself beingthe chief cornerstone,

21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows intoa holy temple in the Lord,

22 in whom you also are being built together for adwelling place of God in the Spirit.

Ephesians 3

The Mystery Revealed

1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles—

2 if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of Godwhich was given to me for you,

3 how that by revelationHe made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already,

4 by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ),

5 which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets:

6 that the Gentilesshould be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel,

7 of which I became a ministeraccording to the gift of the grace of God given to me bythe effective working of His power.

Purpose of the Mystery

8 To me,who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentilesthe unsearchable riches of Christ,

9 and to make all see whatisthe fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God whocreated all things through Jesus Christ;

10 to the intent that nowthe manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the churchto the principalities and powers in the heavenlyplaces,

11 according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord,

12 in whom we have boldness and accesswith confidence through faith in Him.

13 Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you,which is your glory.

Appreciation of the Mystery

14 For this reason I bow my knees to theFather of our Lord Jesus Christ,

15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,

16 that He would grant you,according to the riches of His glory,to be strengthened with might through His Spirit inthe inner man,

17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you,being rooted and grounded in love,

18 may be able to comprehend with all the saintswhatisthe width and length and depth and height—

19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filledwith all the fullness of God.

20 Nowto Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantlyabove all that we ask or think,according to the power that works in us,

21 to Himbeglory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.