Closing Appeal for Steadfastness and Unity

4 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you whom I love and long for,^(A) my joy and crown, stand firm^(B) in the Lord in this way, dear friends!

² I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to be of the same mind^(C) in the Lord. ³ Yes, and I ask you, my true companion, help these women since they have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers,^(D) whose names are in the book of life.^(E)

Final Exhortations

⁴ Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!^{(F) 5} Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.^{(G) 6} Do not be anxious about anything,^(H) but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.^{(I) 7} And the peace of God,^(J) which transcends all understanding,^(K) will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

⁸ Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. ⁹ Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice.^(L) And the God of peace^(M) will be with you.

Thanks for Their Gifts

¹⁰ I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me.^(N) Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. ¹¹ I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content^(O) whatever the circumstances. ¹² I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry,^(P) whether living in plenty or in want.^{(Q) 13} I can do all this through him who gives me strength.^(R)

¹⁴ Yet it was good of you to share^(S) in my troubles. ¹⁵ Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days^(T) of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia,^(U) not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only;^{(V) 16} for even when I was in Thessalonica,^(W) you sent me aid more than once when I was in need.^{(X) 17} Not that I desire your gifts; what I desire is that more be credited to your account.^{(Y) 18} I have received full payment and have more than enough. I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus^(Z) the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant^(AA) offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. ¹⁹ And my God will meet all your needs^(AB) according to the riches of his glory^(AC) in Christ Jesus.

²⁰ To our God and Father^(AD) be glory for ever and ever. Amen.^(AE)

Final Greetings

²¹ Greet all God’s people in Christ Jesus. The brothers and sisters who are with me^(AF) send greetings. ²² All God’s people^(AG) here send you greetings, especially those who belong to Caesar’s household.

²³ The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ^(AH) be with your spirit.^(AI) Amen.^[a]

1 Paul, an apostle^(AJ) of Christ Jesus by the will of God,^(AK) and Timothy^(AL) our brother,

² To God’s holy people in Colossae, the faithful brothers and sisters^[b] in Christ:

Grace^(AM) and peace to you from God our Father.^[c](AN)

Thanksgiving and Prayer

³ We always thank God,^(AO) the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, ⁴ because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love^(AP) you have for all God’s people^(AQ)— ⁵ the faith and love that spring from the hope^(AR) stored up for you in heaven^(AS) and about which you have already heard in the true message^(AT) of the gospel ⁶ that has come to you. In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit^(AU) and growing throughout the whole world^(AV)—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace. ⁷ You learned it from Epaphras,^(AW) our dear fellow servant,^[d] who is a faithful minister^(AX) of Christ on our^[e] behalf, ⁸ and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.^(AY)

⁹ For this reason, since the day we heard about you,^(AZ) we have not stopped praying for you.^(BA) We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will^(BB) through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,^{[f](BC) 10} so that you may live a life worthy^(BD) of the Lord and please him^(BE) in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,^{(BF) 11} being strengthened with all power^(BG) according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience,^{(BH) 12} and giving joyful thanks to the Father,^(BI) who has qualified you^[g] to share in the inheritance^(BJ) of his holy people in the kingdom of light.^{(BK) 13} For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness^(BL) and brought us into the kingdom^(BM) of the Son he loves,^{(BN) 14} in whom we have redemption,^(BO) the forgiveness of sins.^(BP)

The Supremacy of the Son of God

¹⁵ The Son is the image^(BQ) of the invisible God,^(BR) the firstborn^(BS) over all creation. ¹⁶ For in him all things were created:^(BT) things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities;^(BU) all things have been created through him and for him.^{(BV) 17} He is before all things,^(BW) and in him all things hold together. ¹⁸ And he is the head^(BX) of the body, the church;^(BY) he is the beginning and the firstborn^(BZ) from among the dead,^(CA) so that in everything he might have the supremacy. ¹⁹ For God was pleased^(CB) to have all his fullness^(CC) dwell in him, ²⁰ and through him to reconcile^(CD) to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven,^(CE) by making peace^(CF) through his blood,^(CG) shed on the cross.

²¹ Once you were alienated from God and were enemies^(CH) in your minds^(CI) because of^[h] your evil behavior. ²² But now he has reconciled^(CJ) you by Christ’s physical body^(CK) through death to present you^(CL) holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation^(CM)— ²³ if you continue^(CN) in your faith, established^(CO) and firm, and do not move from the hope^(CP) held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven,^(CQ) and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.^(CR)

Paul’s Labor for the Church

²⁴ Now I rejoice^(CS) in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions,^(CT) for the sake of his body, which is the church.^{(CU) 25} I have become its servant^(CV) by the commission God gave me^(CW) to present to you the word of God^(CX) in its fullness— ²⁶ the mystery^(CY) that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people. ²⁷ To them God has chosen to make known^(CZ) among the Gentiles the glorious riches^(DA) of this mystery, which is Christ in you,^(DB) the hope of glory.

²⁸ He is the one we proclaim, admonishing^(DC) and teaching everyone with all wisdom,^(DD) so that we may present everyone fully mature^(DE) in Christ. ²⁹ To this end I strenuously^(DF) contend^(DG) with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me.^(DH)

2 I want you to know how hard I am contending^(DI) for you and for those at Laodicea,^(DJ) and for all who have not met me personally. ² My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart^(DK) and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery^(DL) of God, namely, Christ, ³ in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.^{(DM) 4} I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments.^{(DN) 5} For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit^(DO) and delight to see how disciplined^(DP) you are and how firm^(DQ) your faith in Christ^(DR) is.

Spiritual Fullness in Christ

⁶ So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord,^(DS) continue to live your lives in him, ⁷ rooted^(DT) and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught,^(DU) and overflowing with thankfulness.

⁸ See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy,^(DV) which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces^[i] of this world^(DW) rather than on Christ.

⁹ For in Christ all the fullness^(DX) of the Deity lives in bodily form, ¹⁰ and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head^(DY) over every power and authority.^{(DZ) 11} In him you were also circumcised^(EA) with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh^[j](EB) was put off when you were circumcised by^[k] Christ, ¹² having been buried with him in baptism,^(EC) in which you were also raised with him^(ED) through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.^(EE)

¹³ When you were dead in your sins^(EF) and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you^[l] alive^(EG) with Christ. He forgave us all our sins,^{(EH) 14} having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness,^(EI) which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.^{(EJ) 15} And having disarmed the powers and authorities,^(EK) he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them^(EL) by the cross.^[m]

Freedom From Human Rules

¹⁶ Therefore do not let anyone judge you^(EM) by what you eat or drink,^(EN) or with regard to a religious festival,^(EO) a New Moon celebration^(EP) or a Sabbath day.^{(EQ) 17} These are a shadow of the things that were to come;^(ER) the reality, however, is found in Christ. ¹⁸ Do not let anyone who delights in false humility^(ES) and the worship of angels disqualify you.^(ET) Such a person also goes into great detail about what they have seen; they are puffed up with idle notions by their unspiritual mind. ¹⁹ They have lost connection with the head,^(EU) from whom the whole body,^(EV) supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow.^(EW)

²⁰ Since you died with Christ^(EX) to the elemental spiritual forces of this world,^(EY) why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its rules:^{(EZ) 21} “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”? ²² These rules, which have to do with things that are all destined to perish^(FA) with use, are based on merely human commands and teachings.^{(FB) 23} Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility^(FC) and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.