ABP - Colossians

Chapter 1

1:1  Paul, apostle of Jesus Christ, by the will of God, and Timothy the brother,

1:2  to the [2in 3Colosse 1holy ones], and trustworthy brothers in Christ. Favor to you and peace from God our father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

1:3  We give thanks to the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ, at all times [2for 3you 1praying],

1:4  having heard the belief of yours in Christ Jesus, and the love, the one towards all the holy ones,

1:5  on account of the hope, the one being reserved for you in the heavens, which you heard before in the word of the truth of the good news,

1:6  the one being at hand in you, as also in all the world, and is bearing fruit, as also among you from which day you heard and realized the favor of God in truth;

1:7  as also you learned from Epaphras the beloved fellow-servant of ours, who is a trustworthy [2for 3you 1servant] of the Christ,

1:8  the one also having manifested to us your love in spirit.

1:9  On account of this also, we from which day heard, cease not [2for 3you 1praying], and asking that you should be filled with the full knowledge of his will, in all wisdom and [2understanding 1spiritual];

1:10  for you to walk worthily of the Lord, [2to 3all 1pleasing], in every [2work 1good] bearing fruit, and growing in the full knowledge of God;

1:11  in all power, being strengthened according to the might of his glory in all patience and long-suffering with joy;

1:12  giving thanks to the God and father, to the one making us fit in the portion of the lot of the holy ones in the light;

1:13  who rescued us from out of the authority of the darkness, and changed us over to the kingdom of the son of his love;

1:14  in whom we have the release by ransom through his blood -- the release of sins;

1:15  who is the image of the unseen God, first-born of all creation;

1:16  for in him were created the whole, the things in the heavens, and the things upon the earth -- the visible and the unseen; whether thrones, whether lordships, whether sovereignties, whether authorities; the whole through him and in him have been created.

1:17  And he is before all, and the whole in him combine.

1:18  And he is the head of the body of the assembly, who is the beginning, the first-born from the dead, that [2should be 4in 5all things 1he 3preeminent].

1:19  For in him [4thought well 1all 2the 3fullness] to dwell;

1:20  and through him to reconcile the whole to himself, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him, whether the things upon the earth, whether the things in the heavens.

1:21  And you at some time or other being separated and enemies in thought by [2works 1wicked], but now he reconciled

1:22  in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblemished and without reproach before him;

1:23  if indeed you remain in the belief being founded and settled, and not being moved about from the hope of the good news of which you heard, of the one being proclaimed in all the creation, in the one under the heaven, of which [3became 1I 2Paul] servant.

1:24  Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and filling up again the deficiencies of the afflictions of the Christ in my flesh for his body, which is the assembly;

1:25  of which I became servant according to the management of God, the one given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God;

1:26  the mystery, the one being concealed from the eons and from the generations, but now made manifest to his holy ones;

1:27  ones to whom God wanted to make known what the wealth of the glory of this mystery is among the nations; which is Christ in you, the hope of the glory;

1:28  whom we announce, admonishing every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we should present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.

1:29  In which also I tire in labor, struggling according to his energy, the one operating in me in power.

Chapter 2

2:1  For I want you to know how much struggle I have for you, and the ones in Laodicea, and as many as have not seen my face in flesh;

2:2  that [2should be comforted 1their hearts], being instructed in love, and in all riches of the full assurance of the understanding, in full knowledge of the mystery of the God and father and of the Christ;

2:3  in which are all the treasures of the wisdom and of the knowledge concealed.

2:4  And this I say, that not anyone should mislead you in plausible arguments.

2:5  For if even in the flesh I am absent, yet in the spirit [2with 3you 1I am], rejoicing and seeing your order, and the firmness, the one [2in 3Christ 1of your belief].

2:6  As then you took to yourself the Christ -- Jesus the Lord; [2in 3him 1walk]!

2:7  being rooted and built up in him, and being firmed up in the belief, as you were taught, abounding in it with thankfulness.

2:8  Take heed lest [2anyone 4you 1there shall be 3robbing] through the fondness of intellectual pursuits and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elements of the world, and not according to Christ!

2:9  For in him dwells all the fullness of the deity bodily.

2:10  And you are [2in 3him 1being fulfilled], who is the head of all sovereignty and authority;

2:11  in whom also you were circumcised by a circumcision not made by hands, in the stripping of the body of the sins of the flesh, in the circumcision of the Christ;

2:12  having been buried together with him in the immersion, in which also you were risen up together through the belief of the energy of God -- the one having raised him from the dead.

2:13  And you, being dead in the transgressions, and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, he made you alive together with him, granting forgiveness to us for all the transgressions;

2:14  having wiped away the [4against 5us 1handwriting 2by the 3decrees], which was contrary to us; and he has lifted it from out of the midst, having fastened it with a nail to the cross;

2:15  having divested the sovereignties and the authorities, he made an example in an open manner triumphing over them by it.

2:16  [2not 3then 4anyone 6you 1Let 5judge] in food or in drink, or in the rank of a holiday feast, or new moon, or sabbaths,

2:17  which are a shadow of the things about to be -- but the body of the Christ!

2:18  [2no one 4you 1Let 3deprive] of due reward, wanting by deprivation and following a religion of angels, [2things which 3he has not 4seen 1entering into], vainly being inflated by the mind of his flesh,

2:19  and not holding onto the head, from out of which all the body through the ligaments and sinews being supplied and being instructed, grow by the growth of God.

2:20  If then you died with the Christ from the elements of the world, why as living in the world do you subject yourselves to decrees?

2:21  that is, You should not lightly touch, nor should you taste, nor should you touch,

2:22  (which things are all for corruption in abuse,) according to the precepts and instructions of men,

2:23  which is communication then having wisdom in man made religion, and deprivation, and austerity of the body, not in any value to fullness of the flesh.

Chapter 3

3:1  If then you were raised up together with the Christ, [2the things 3upward 1seek]! where the Christ is at the right hand of God sitting down.

3:2  [2the things 3upward 1Think], not the things upon the earth!

3:3  For you died, and your life has been hid with the Christ in God.

3:4  Whenever the Christ should be manifested in our life, then also you with him shall be manifested in glory.

3:5  Deaden then your members! the ones upon the earth -- harlotry, uncleanness, passion, [2desire 1evil], and the desire for wealth, which is idolatry;

3:6  through which comes the wrath of God upon the sons of disobedience,

3:7  among whom also you walked at some time or other, when you were living in these things.

3:8  But now put aside, even you, all anger, rage, evil, blasphemy, obscene talk from out of your mouth!

3:9  Do not lie to one another! But be divesting the old man with his actions;

3:10  and putting on the new, the one being restored in full knowledge, according to the image of the one creating him;

3:11  where there is not Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bondman, free; but [2is the 3all 4and 5in 6all 1Christ]!

3:12  Put on then as chosen ones of God, holy ones, and beloved, feelings of compassion, pity, graciousness, humility, gentleness, long-suffering!

3:13  enduring one another, and granting forgiveness to each other if any [3against 4any 1should have any 2blame]. As also the Christ granted forgiveness to you, so also you.

3:14  [2upon 3all 1And] these things the love which is the bonding together of the perfection.

3:15  And [2the 3peace 4of God 1let] preside in your hearts! in which also you were called in one body. And [2gracious 1be]!

3:16  [2the 3word 4of the 5Christ 1Let] dwell in you richly, in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing yourselves in psalms, and hymns, and [2odes 1spiritual], with favor singing in your heart to the Lord!

3:17  And everything, what ever you should do in word or in work, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to the God and father by him.

3:18  The Wives -- submit to your own husbands, as relates in the Lord!

3:19  The husbands -- love the wives, and be not bitter against them!

3:20  The children -- obey the parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing to the Lord!

3:21  The fathers -- do not aggravate your children, that they should not be depressed!

3:22  The bondmen -- obey in all things the [2according to 3the flesh 1masters]! not in eyeservices as ones who try to please men, but in singleness of heart, fearing God.

3:23  And all, whatever you should do, [2from 3the soul 1work] as to the Lord, and not to men!

3:24  knowing that from the Lord you shall accept the reward of the inheritance -- for to the Lord Christ serve!

3:25  And the one wronging shall receive for what he wronged; and there is no discrimination.

Chapter 4

4:1  [2the 3masters 5the thing 6just 7and 8equal 9to the 10bondmen 1Let 4furnish]! knowing that also you have a master in heavens.

4:2  [2prayer 1Attend constantly to]! being vigilant in it in thankfulness.

4:3  Praying together also for us, that God should open to us a door of the word, to speak the mystery of the Christ, on account of which also I have been bound,

4:4  that I should make it manifest as it is necessary for me to speak.

4:5  [2in 3wisdom 1Walk] to the ones outside! [2the 3time 1buying back],

4:6  with your word at all times in favor, [2with salt 1being seasoned], to know how it is necessary for you [3one 2each 1to answer].

4:7  [2the things 3concerning 4me 1All 6will make known 7to you 5Tychicus], the beloved brother, and trustworthy servant, and fellow-servant in the Lord;

4:8  whom I sent forth to you for this same purpose, that he should know the things concerning you, and should comfort your hearts;

4:9  with Onesimus the trustworthy and beloved brother, who is of you. All [3they shall make known to you 1the things 2here].

4:10  [3greets 4you 1Aristarchus 2my fellow-captive], and Mark the cousin of Barnabas, concerning whom you received commands, (if he should come to you, receive him!)

4:11  and Joshua the one being called Justus, the ones being of the circumcision. These alone are fellow-workers in the kingdom of God, ones who became an encouragement to me.

4:12  [2greets 3you 1Epaphras], the one from you, a bondman of Christ, at all times struggling for you in the prayers, that you should stand perfect, and being filled in every will of God.

4:13  For I bear witness to him that he has [2zeal 1much] for you, and the ones in Laodicea, and the ones in Hierapolis.

4:14  [5greets 6you 1Luke 4physician 2the 3beloved], and Demas.

4:15  You greet the [2in 3Laodicea 1brethren], and Nymphas, and the [2in 3his house 1assembly]!

4:16  And whenever [3should be read 4by 5you 1the 2letter], do it that also in the assembly of Laodiceans it should be read; and the one from Laodicea, that also you should read it!

4:17  And say to Archippus, Take heed to the service which you took to yourself in the Lord, that you should fulfill it!

4:18  The greeting by my hand, Paul. Remember my bonds! The favor be with you. Amen.