till we should all attain the unity of the faith and knowledge of God's Son, reaching maturity, reaching the full measure of development which belongs to the fulness of Christ ??14 instead of remaining immature, blown from our course and swayed by every passing wind of doctrine, by the adroitness of men who are dexterous in devising error;

So we are no longer to be children, tossed back and forth by waves and carried about by every wind of teaching by the trickery of people who craftily carry out their deceitful schemes.

but speaking truth in love, we may grow up in all things into him, who is the head, even Christ;

From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

Whose thoughts are dark, to whom the life of God is strange because they are without knowledge, and their hearts have been made hard;

Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

(for it is Christ whom you have been taught, it is in Christ that you have been instructed ??the real Christ who is in Jesus);

[that] you take off, according to your former way of life, the old man, who is being destroyed according to deceitful desires,

and put on the new man (in accordance with God), who is created in righteousness and holiness from the truth.

The one who steals must steal no longer, but instead must labor, working with his own hands [what is] good, so that he may have [something] to share with the one who has need.

Do not let unwholesome [foul, profane, worthless, vulgar] words ever come out of your mouth, but only such speech as is good for building up others, according to the need and the occasion, so that it will be a blessing to those who hear [you speak].

And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, in whom ye were sealed unto the day of redemption.

And live a life of love, following the example of the Christ, who loved you and gave himself for you as 'an offering and a sacrifice to God, that should be fragrant and acceptable.'

For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

Do not be turned from the right way by foolish words; for because of these things the punishment of God comes on those who do not put themselves under him.

for you people were once darkness [i.e., when living in sin], but now you are light in [fellowship with] the Lord. [So], live like people who belong to light [i.e., who live godly lives],

Do not have fellowship with [people who practice] worthless deeds of darkness [i.e., sinful living], but expose them instead.

wherefore he saith, 'Arouse thyself, thou who art sleeping, and arise out of the dead, and the Christ shall shine upon thee.'

giving thanks at all times for all things to him who is God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

For the husband is the head of his wife as the Messiah is the head of the church. It is he who is the Savior of the body.

You who are husbands must love your wives, just as Christ loves the church and gave himself for her,

so ought the husbands to love their own wives as their own bodies: he who is loving his own wife -- himself he doth love;

Slaves, be obedient to those who are your earthly masters, with respect for authority, and with a sincere heart [seeking to please them], as [service] to Christ—

Let it not be in acts of eye-service as if you had but to please men, but as Christ's bondservants who are doing God's will from the heart.

And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, and forbear threatening: knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no respect of persons with him.

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this [present] darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) places.

But that ye also may know my affairs, and what I am doing here, Tychicus a beloved brother, and a faithful minister in the Lord, shall make all known to you: whom I have sent to you,

Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that ye might know our affairs, and that he might comfort your hearts.

Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with undying and incorruptible love.

Paul and Timotheus, bondmen of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the overseers and ministers;

being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ:

And, indeed, I am justified in feeling thus about you all; because you have a warm place in my heart--you who all, both in my imprisonment and in the work of defending and establishing the Good News, shared my privilege with me.

Some indeed actually preach Christ out of envy and contentiousness but there are also others who do it from good will.

Those who do it out of love [for me] know that I am prepared to defend the Gospel [i.e., before government authorities].

but they who are of a factious spirit preach Christ with no pure intent, thinking to stir up affliction to my bonds.

Having no fear of those who are against you; which is a clear sign of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God;

Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

so that at the name of Jesus
every knee will bow—
of those who are in heaven and on earth
and under the earth—

for it is God who worketh in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure.

That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;

you, who display the doctrine of eternal life) that in the day of Christ I may have the satisfaction of not having pursued my laborious course in vain.

I hope, however, as one who trusts in the Lord Jesus, to send Timothy to you before long, so that I may myself be cheered by receiving news of you.

For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state.

It is Timothy, then, whom I hope to send, as soon as ever I can foresee how it will go with me.

And I am confident, as one who trusts in the Lord Jesus, that before long I myself shall follow.

Yet I deem it important to send Epaphroditus to you now--he is my brother and comrade both in labour and in arms, and is your messenger who has ministered to my needs.

Look out for the dogs [the Judaizers, the legalists], look out for the troublemakers, look out for the false circumcision [those who claim circumcision is necessary for salvation];

for we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God, and glory in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh:

Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

the justification which God grants to those who acknowledge Christ and the power of his resurrection, who suffer after his example, and die to sin, as he died to the world,

All of us who are mature [pursuing spiritual perfection] should have this attitude. And if in any respect you have a different attitude, that too God will make clear to you.

Brothers and sisters, together follow my example and observe those who live by the pattern we gave you.

(For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:

Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)

For our country is in heaven; from where the Saviour for whom we are waiting will come, even the Lord Jesus Christ:

Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

Therefore, my fellow believers, whom I love and long for, my delight and crown [my wreath of victory], in this way stand firm in the Lord, my beloved.

yea, I ask thee also, true yokefellow, assist them, who have contended along with me in the glad tidings, with Clement also, and my other fellow-labourers, whose names are in the book of life.

The doctrines and the line of conduct which I taught you--both what you heard and what you saw in me-- hold fast to them; and God who gives peace will be with you.

But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last {you have renewed your concern for me}, for whom also you were thinking, but you had no opportunity [to express it].

Not that I speak concerning want; for I have learned, among whom I am, to be satisfied with my condition.

I can do all things [which He has called me to do] through Him who strengthens and empowers me [to fulfill His purpose—I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency; I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him who infuses me with inner strength and confident peace.]

Salute every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren who are with me salute you.

All the saints greet you, especially those who are of Caesar's household.

To the saints and faithful believers in Christ [who are] at Colossae: Grace to you and peace [inner calm and spiritual well-being] from God our Father.

As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellowservant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ;

Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.

giving thanks unto the Father, who made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light;

Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:

In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:

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

And you, who once were alienated and enemies in mind by wicked works, yet now has it reconciled

If you continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which you have heard, and which was preached to every creature who is under heaven; of which I Paul am made a minister;

Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church:

In it, by divine appointment, I became a worker, that I might preach among you the message of God in its fulness??26 that secret, hidden from the ages and generations, but now disclosed to those who are consecrated to him,

To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:

To this end, like an earnest wrestler, I exert all my strength in reliance upon the power of Him who is mightily at work within me.

For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those [believers] at Laodicea, and for all who [like yourselves] have never seen me face to face.

Because they are united in love, I pray that their hearts may be encouraged by all the riches that come from a complete understanding of the full knowledge of the Messiah, who is the mystery of God.

In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

See that there be no one who shall lead you away as a prey through philosophy and vain deceit, according to the teaching of men, according to the elements of the world, and not according to Christ.

and in him ye are made full, who is the head of all principality and power:

In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:

Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.

When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh (worldliness, manner of life), God made you alive together with Christ, having [freely] forgiven us all our sins,

for these were only the shadows of future things, prefiguring Christ, who is the substance.

Let no one who delights in humility and the worship of angels cheat you out of the prize by rejoicing about what he has seen. Such a person is puffed up for no reason by his carnal mind.

and not holding fast the Head, from whom all the body, being supplied and knit together through the joints and bands, increasing with the increase of God.

(all of which are for the destruction of those who use them,) according to the commandments and teachings of men;

When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

Because of these [sinful] things the [divine] wrath of God is coming on the sons of disobedience [those who fail to listen and who routinely and obstinately disregard God’s precepts],

and in these [sinful things] you also once walked, when you were habitually living in them [without the knowledge of Christ].

and having put on the new, which is renewed in regard to knowledge, after the image of Him who did create him;

a renewal in which there is no [distinction between] Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, [nor between nations whether] barbarian or Scythian, [nor in status whether] slave or free, but Christ is all, and in all [so believers are equal in Christ, without distinction].

So, as God’s own chosen people, who are holy [set apart, sanctified for His purpose] and well-beloved [by God Himself], put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience [which has the power to endure whatever injustice or unpleasantness comes, with good temper];

Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is appropriate for those who belong to the Lord.

You who are husbands must love your wives and not be harsh to them.

Children, always obey your parents; for that is pleasant to see in those who belong to the Lord.