Now I am happy in my sufferings for your sake; and in my own flesh I ^ filling out what is still lacking in the sufferings of the Christ, for his body, which is the church. Of this I have been made a minister through the dispensation of God granted to me, to bring to completion among you the word of God, the mystery which has been hidden away for ages and for generations. But now it has been revealed to his saints, since God wished to make known to them how rich is the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles. This is Christ in you, your hope for glory. It is he whom we proclaim, admonishing every person and teaching every person by every kind of wisdom, so as to present every person as one complete in Christ. I toil to bring this about, struggling in obedience to his activity, which is powerfully at work in me.
For I wish you to know what a struggle I maintain for the sake of you and the people in Laodicea and all those who have never seen me in the flesh. I do it so that their hearts may be comforted, so that they may be brought together in love and to all the resources of fulfilled comprehension, to the recognition of the mystery of God: Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and understanding. I say this so that none may mislead you by persuasive argument. For even if I am absent in person, yet in the spirit I am with you, rejoicing as I observe the good order and solidity of your faith in Christ.
So, as you have accepted the Christ, Jesus the Lord, go by him, rooted in him and built upon him, confirmed in your faith as you were taught it and abounding in gratitude. See to it that there shall be no one to steal you away by philosophy and by empty deception according to the tradition of men, according to the fundamentals of the world, and not according to Christ. Because in him resides, physically, all the fulfillment of the divine, and you have been fulfilled in him. He is the head of every realm and authority; in him also you were circumcised with a circumcision not done by human hands, in the putting off of the body of the flesh, in the circumcision of the Christ. You were buried with him in your baptism, and with him you were raised again, through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. When you were dead because of your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, he brought you to life along with himself. He forgave us all our sins, obliterating the unfavorable bond, with its decisions, that went against us, and removed it from our midst by nailing it to his cross; disarming authorities and powers, he made a spectacle of them by leading them captive in his train.
Do not, then, let anyone pass judgment on you over any matter of food or drink or detail of a festival or new moon or sabbath. These are the shadows of things to come; the body belongs to the Christ. Let no one willingly condemn you by excessive humility and adoration of angels, basing himself on his visions. Such a one is irrationally puffed up by the mind in his own body; he does not hold fast to the head, dependent on which the whole body, supported and held together by its joints and sinews, increases as God makes it increase.
If with Christ you are dead to the fundamentals of the world, why are you to be regulated as if you were still living in the world, with do not handle, do not taste, do not touch! These prohibitions concern what perishes with use; they accord with the commandments and teachings of man. They have some show of reason through the will to be religious, and humility, and the mortification of the flesh, but they are of no use for preventing c^al indulgence.
If, then, with Christ you were wakened from the dead, look for what is above, where the Christ is, seated by the right hand of God. Think upon the things above, not the things on earth, for you died, and your life has been hidden away in God, with the Christ; when the Christ appears; then so will our life, and you too will appear in glory along with him.
Then put to death those elements in you which are of the earth: lechery, impurity, passion, base desire, and that greed which is idolatry. These are what bring on the anger of God. Once you went the way of these feelings, when you lived by them. Put them off now, all of them, anger, rage, baseness, blasphemy, foul language from your mouths. Do not lie to each other. Strip off the old person with all his doings and put on the new one, renewed in understanding after the likeness of him who created him: where there is no room for Greek or Jew, circumcision or uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free man, but Christ is all in all. As the chosen of God, holy and beloved, take on the feelings of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, putting up with each other and forgiving each other when anyone has some fault to find with anyone else. As the Lord has forgiven you, so do likewise. Above all is love, which is what holds perfection together. And let the peace of the Christ, into which you were called in one body, rule in your hearts; and be thankful. Let the word of the Christ live within you abundantly in all wisdom, as you teach and admonish yourselves with psalms, hymns, spiritual songs, with thanks, singing to God in your hearts. And whatever you do, in word or act, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks for him to God the Father.
Wives, subordinate yourselves to your husbands, as is your duty in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and do not be sharp with them. Children, be obedient to your parents in everything, for this is pleasing to the Lord. Fathers, do not try your children's patience, for fear they may lose heart. Slaves, obey your human masters in all things, not with service to catch the eye and please people, but in simplicity of heart and fearing the Lord. Whatever you do, do it from the heart, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that you will receive your share of the inheritance as a reward. You are serving Christ the Lord. The wrongdoer will be requited for the wrong he did, and there is no discrimination.
Masters, be just and fair with your slaves, knowing that you also have a master in heaven.
Be constant in your prayers, with wakefulness and thanksgiving; and at the same time pray also for us, that God may open the door of the word to us, to speak of the mystery of the Christ, for which I am in prison; so that I may reveal it in the language I ought to use.
Conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders, making the most of your time. Let your speech be always gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you know how to talk to each particular person.
Tychicus, my beloved brother and trusted helper and fellow slave in the Lord, will tell you all the news about me. I send him to you for this very purpose, so that you may know about me and so that he may comfort your hearts. He is with Onesimus, my trusted and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you about everything here.
Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, sends you greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas, concerning whom you have received instructions from me; if he comes to you, welcome him. So too Jesus, who is called Justus.
These, of the circumcised, are the only ones who have worked with me for the Kingdom of God, and have been a comfort to me. Epaphras sends you greetings; he is one of you, a slave of Christ Jesus, forever striving for you in his prayers so that you may stand complete and fulfilled in every way God wishes. For I bear him witness that he works very hard for you and for those in Laodicea and Hierapolis. Luke the beloved physician sends greetings, as does Demas. Give greetings to the brothers in Laodicea and to Nympha and the church which is in her house. And when this letter is read before you, arrange to have it read also in the church of the Laodiceans, and see that you also read the one from Laodicea. And say to Archip- pus: Be sure to carry out the ministry you received from the Lord.