15 

who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.

16 

For by him all things were created, in the heavens and on the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been created through him, and for him.

17 

He is before all things, and in him all things are held together.

18 

He is the head of the body, the assembly, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

19 

For all the fullness was pleased to dwell in him;

20 

and through him to reconcile all things to himself, by him, whether things on the earth, or things in the heavens, having made peace through the blood of his cross.

21 

You, being in past times alienated and enemies in your mind in your evil deeds,

22 

yet now he has reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and without defect and blameless before him,

23 

if it is so that you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the Good News which you heard, which is being proclaimed in all creation under heaven; of which I, Paul, was made a servant.

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 assembly;

25 

of which I was made a servant, according to the stewardship of God which was given me toward you, to fulfill the word of God,

26 

the mystery which has been hidden for ages and generations. But now it has been revealed to his saints,

27 

to whom God was pleased to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory;

28 

whom we proclaim, admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus;

29 

for which I also labor, striving according to his working, which works in me mightily.

1 

For I desire to have you know how greatly I struggle for you, and for those at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;

2 

that their hearts may be comforted, they being knit together in love, and gaining all riches of the full assurance of understanding, that they may know the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ,

3 

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

4 

Now this I say that no one may delude you with persuasiveness of speech.

5 

For though I am absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, rejoicing and seeing your order, and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.

6 

As therefore you received Christ Jesus, the Lord, walk in him,

7 

rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, even as you were taught, abounding in it in thanksgiving.

8 

Be careful that you don't let anyone rob you through his philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the elements of the world, and not after Christ.

9 

For in him all the fullness of the Deity dwells bodily,

10 

and in him you are made full, who is the head of all principality and power;

11 

in whom you were also circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the body of the sins of the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ;

12 

having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.

13 

You were dead through your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh. He made you alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,

14 

wiping out the handwriting in ordinances which was against us; and he has taken it out of the way, nailing it to the cross;

15 

having stripped the principalities and the powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

16 

Let no one therefore judge you in eating, or in drinking, or with respect to a feast day or a new moon or a Sabbath day,

17 

which are a shadow of the things to come; but the body is Christ's.

18 

Let no one rob you of your prize by a voluntary humility and worshiping of the angels, dwelling in the things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,

19 

and not holding firmly to the Head, from whom all the body, being supplied and knit together through the joints and ligaments, grows with God's growth.

20 

If you died with Christ from the elements of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to ordinances,

21 

"Don't handle, nor taste, nor touch"

22 

(all of which perish with use), according to the precepts and doctrines of men?

23 

Which things indeed appear like wisdom in self-imposed worship, and humility, and severity to the body; but aren't of any value against the indulgence of the flesh.