Modern Literal Version
[Colossians 1]
1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Timothy our brother, 1:2 to the holy and faithful brethren in Christ who are in Colosse: grace to you* and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
1:3 We are giving-thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, always praying concerning you*, 1:4 having heard of your* faith in Christ Jesus and of the love* which you* have toward all the holy-ones, 1:5 because of the hope that is laid up for you* in the heavens, of which you* heard beforehand in the word of the truth of the good-news. 1:6 This good-news which is present with you*; just-as it also is in all the world and is bearing-fruit, just-as it also does in you*, since the day you* heard and fully knew the grace of God in truth; 1:7 just-as you* also learned of Epaphras our beloved fellow bondservant, who is a faithful servant of Christ on your* behalf, 1:8 who also indicated to us your* love* in the Spirit.
1:9 Because of this, we also, from the day we heard it, do not cease praying and asking on behalf of you*, that* you* may be filled with the full knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 1:10 for you* to walk worthy of the Lord for* pleasing him in everything, bearing-fruit in every good work and growing into the full knowledge of God; 1:11 empowered with all power, according to the dominion of his glory, *for all endurance and patience with joy 1:12 giving-thanks to the Father. He who made us sufficient *for the part of the lot of the holy-ones in light. 1:13 He rescued us out of the authority of darkness and transplanted us into the kingdom of the Son of his love*; 1:14 in whom we have our redemption, the forgiveness of our sins, 1:15 who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; 1:16 because all things were created by him, the things in the heavens and the things upon the earth, the visible and invisible. Whether thrones or lordships or principalities or authorities, all things have been created through him and *for him. 1:17 And he is before all things and all things have been established in him. 1:18 And he is the head of the body, the congregation; who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that* he might become foremost in all things. 1:19 Because all the fullness was delighted to dwell in him; 1:20 and through him to reconcile all things to himself, whether things upon the earth or things upon the heavens, having made peace through the blood of his cross; through him. 1:21 And you* were previously alienated and were enemies in your* mind and in your* evil works, yet now he has reconciled you* 1:22 in the body of his flesh through death, to present you* holy and unblemished and irreproachable in the sight of him; 1:23 if indeed you* are abiding in the faith, having been founded and being grounded and not moved away from the hope of the good-news which you* heard, which was preached in all creation which is under heaven; of which I, Paul, became a servant.
1:24 Now I am rejoicing in my sufferings on your* behalf and I am filling up in my flesh, the deficit of the afflictions of Christ on behalf of his body, which is the congregation; 1:25 of which I became a servant, according to the stewardship of God which was given to me *for you*, to fulfill the word of God, 1:26 the mystery that has been hid from the ages and generations, but now it has been manifested to his holy-ones. 1:27 To whom God willed to make known among the Gentiles what are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you*, the hope of glory. 1:28 The Christ whom we are proclaiming, admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that* we may present every man mature in Christ Jesus; 1:29 *for which I also labor, struggling according to his working, which works in power in me.
[Colossians 2]
2:1 For* I wish you* to know how-vast a struggle I have concerning you* and those in Laodicea and as many as have not seen my face in the flesh; 2:2 in order that their hearts might be encouraged, being knitted together in love* and in the all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the full knowledge of the mystery of God and Father and of Christ, 2:3 in whom all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden.
2:4 But I am saying all of this, in order that no one may delude you* with persuasive words. 2:5 For* even if I am absent in the flesh, but yet I am with you* in the spirit, rejoicing and seeing your* order and the firmness of your* faith in Christ.
2:6 Therefore as you* received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 2:7 having been rooted and being built up in him and steadfast in the faith, just-as you* were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
2:8 Beware that there will be not anyone who is leading you* away as prey through his philosophy and vain deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the fundamental principles of the world and not according to Christ, 2:9 because all the fullness of the Deity is dwelling in him bodily. 2:10 And you* are fulfilled in him, who is the head of all principality and authority; 2:11 in whom you* were also circumcised with a circumcision not made* with hands, in the stripping off of the body of the sins of the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ, 2:12 having been buried together with him in the immersion*, in which you* were also lifted up together with him through the faith in the working of God, who lifted him up from the dead. 2:13 And you*, being dead in your* trespasses and the uncircumcision of your* flesh, he made* you* alive together with him, having forgiven* us all our trespasses; 2:14 having wiped-away the handwriting in the decrees that were against us, which were adverse to us. He has also taken it out of the midst of us, nailing it to the cross; 2:15 having stripped off the principalities and the authorities, he publicly made a show of them, triumphing over them in it.
2:16 Therefore do not let anyone judge you* in food or in drink or in the respect of a feast day or a new month or a Sabbath day; 2:17 which are a shadow of the future things; but the body is Christ's. 2:18 Let no one arbitrate against you*, willing it so in your* humility and in a religion of the messengers; stepping you* further into the things which he has not seen, vainly arrogant by his fleshly mind, 2:19 and not holding-fast to the head, from whom all the body is being supplied and knitted together through the joints and ligaments, which is growing with the growth of God.
2:20 If you* died with Christ from the fundamental principles of the world, why, (as though living in the world), are you* submissive to its decrees: 2:21 such as, do not touch; do not taste; do not handle; 2:22 (which things in the using are all leading to corruption), according to the commandments and teachings of men? 2:23 Which indeed in man-made religion have a reason which comes from man’s wisdom and humility and unsparing cruelty of the body; but are not of any value toward the indulgence of the flesh.
[Colossians 3]
3:1 Therefore if you* were lifted up together with Christ, seek the things which are above, where Christ is, seated by the right hand of God. 3:2 Be mindful of the things which are above, not the things which are upon the earth. 3:3 For* you* died and your* life is hid with Christ in God. 3:4 Whenever Christ, who is our life, is manifested, then you* will also be manifested with him in glory.
3:5 Therefore put to death your* members which are upon the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire and greed, which is idolatry. 3:6 Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience; 3:7 among whom you* also previously walked, when you* lived in these things. 3:8 But also now, place all these things away from yourselves: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, obscene speech from your* mouth.
3:9 Do not lie to one another; since you* have stripped off the old man with his practices, 3:10 and were clothed with the new man, who is being renewed to the full knowledge according to the image of him who created him; 3:11 where there is no Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bondservant, or free man; but Christ is all and in all.
3:12 Therefore as God's chosen, holy and beloved, be clothed with a heart* of mercy, kindness, humility, meekness, patience, 3:13 tolerating one another and forgiving* each other. If anyone has a complaint toward anyone; just-as the Christ forgave* you*, so you* also forgive*. 3:14 But over all these things put on love*, which is the bond of maturity. 3:15 And let the peace of God be arbitrating in your* hearts, to which you* were also called in one body, and become thankful. 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you* richly, in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your* heart to the Lord. 3:17 And whatever you* do in word or in works, do all things in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving-thanks to the God and Father through him.
3:18 Wives, be subject to your* own husbands, as is proper in the Lord.
3:19 Husbands, love* your* wives and do not be bitter toward them.
3:20 Children, obey* your* parents in all things, for* this is well pleasing in the Lord.
3:21 Fathers, do not aggravate your* children, in order that they may not be discouraged.
3:22 Bondservants obey in all things those who are your* lords according to the flesh; not with eye-service, like men-pleasers, but in clarity of heart, fearing God.
3:23 And whatever you* do, work from your soul, as you would to the Lord and not as to men; 3:24 knowing that from the Lord you* will receive the payment of the inheritance; for* you* are serving* the Lord Christ. 3:25 But he who does wrong will get back what he did wrong and there is no partiality with God. [Colossians 4] 4:1 Lords, provide what is just and equal to your* bondservants; knowing that you* also have a Lord in the heavens.
4:2 Persevere in prayer, watching in it, with thanksgiving; 4:3 praying at the same time concerning us also, that* God may open a door of the word to us, to speak the mystery of Christ, because of which I have also been bound; 4:4 that* I may manifest it, as I ought to speak. 4:5 Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, buying up the time. 4:6 Let your* speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you* may know how you* ought to answer each one.
4:7 Tychicus will make all my affairs known to you*, the beloved brother and faithful servant and my fellow bondservant in the Lord; 4:8 whom I have sent to you* *for this same thing, that* he might know about the things concerning you* and that* he may comfort your* hearts; 4:9 together with Onesimus, the faithful and beloved brother, who is one out of you*. They will make known to you* all things which are done here.
4:10 Aristarchus my fellow captive greets you* and Mark, the cousin of Barnabas (concerning whom you* received commandments; if he comes to you*, accept him), 4:11 and Jesus who is called Justus, who is out of the circumcision. These are my only fellow workers to the kingdom of God, men who have become a comfort to me. 4:12 Epaphras, who is one out of you*, a bondservant of Christ, greets you*. He is always fighting on behalf of you* in his prayers, that* you* may stand perfect and be fulfilled in all the will of God. 4:13 For* I am testifying of him, that he has great zeal on behalf of you* and those in Laodicea and those in Hierapolis. 4:14 Luke, the beloved physician and Demas greet you*. 4:15 Greet the brethren who are in Laodicea and Nymphas and the congregation that is in his house.
4:16 And whenever this letter has been read among you*, do forward it, that* it should also be read in the congregation of the Laodiceans, and that* you* also should read the letter from Laodicea. 4:17 And say to Archippus, The service which you have received in the Lord, beware that* you should fulfill it.
4:18 The greeting from me, Paul, with my own hand. Remember my bonds. Grace be with you*. Amen.
{Footnotes: Col 3:12- Greek: bowels.}
Modern Literal Version Preface & Appendix , copyright 1999, 2014 by G. Allen Walker for the MLV New Testament Committee.
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