Book of Colossians One of the four prison Epistles.
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Apostle Paul (v 1:1), while under house arrest in Rome (v 4:3,10,18).	The letter is written to the church at Colosse a city in Phrygia, a Roman province, now part of Turkey. The epistle first encourages the believers, to be aware of vain philosophies, urging the brethren to seek the fullness of Christ. The letter has the overlying theme of: the Lordship of Jesus Christ. four chapters	between 60-62 AD.

Verse by verse, account of the book of Colossians.

Colossians: chapter 1

¹Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God and Timothy our brother.

²To the faithful brethren in Christ who are in Colosse, grace and peace to you, from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.

³We pray for you always, giving thanks to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁴Ever since we heard of your faith in Jesus Christ and the love that you have for the saints. ⁵Because of the hope that is laid up for you in heaven, that you heard and believed the Word of truth of the gospel. ⁶Which has come to you, as has also come to all the world, but within you, it is bringing forth fruit, ever since you heard and learned of the grace of God. ⁷As you learned from Epaphras, our fellow servant and faithful minister in Christ. ⁸Who also reported to us, of your love in the Spirit.

⁹Ever since we heard of this, we have prayed for you continually, that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. ¹⁰That you may walk worthy of the Lord, pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. ¹¹Strengthened according to His glorious power, joyfully enduring in all patience. ¹²Giving thanks to God the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. ¹³For He has delivered us from the power of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son of His love. ¹⁴In whom we have redemption and forgiveness of sins, through His blood.

¹⁵Jesus Christ, is the image of the invisible God, the Firstborn over all creation. ¹⁶For He created all things, in heaven and on the earth, both visible and invisible. All things, whether thrones, dominions, principalities or authorities were created by Him, through Him and for Him. ¹⁷He, Himself existed before all things and in Him all things consist. ¹⁸He is the Head of the body, the church, which is the beginning of the Firstborn from the dead, that in all things, He might become over all. ¹⁹For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness, (everything) should dwell. ²⁰And through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, whether they be things on the earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.

²¹Once we were alienated in our minds by wicked works, but He has now reconciled us, ²²through the death of His physical body on the cross, to present us holy and blameless and above reproach in His sight. ²³Providing that we continue in the faith, firmly established and unmovable from the hope of the gospel, that has been proclaimed in all of us, this is why I, Paul, became a minister.

²⁴For I now rejoice in my sufferings and persuasions on your behalf for through the afflictions of Christ in my flesh, I might fulfill what is lacking on behalf of His body, the church. ²⁵According to the administration of God, I am a minister for your sakes to fulfill the Word of God. ²⁶Of the mystery that has been hidden from the generations but has now been revealed to His believers. ²⁷God willed to make known this mystery among the nations, the riches of His glory, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. ²⁸Him we preach, warning and teaching every man in all wisdom, to present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. ²⁹To this end I also labor, according to His mighty works that work in me.

Colossians: chapter 2

¹I want you to know that I do have a great inward conflict for you and your fellow believers over at Laodicea, that I have not met face to face. ²That they be encouraged and knit together in love, sharing in all the riches that the fullness of the knowledge and understanding brings, of the mystery both of the Father God and of Christ. ³In whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. ⁴I tell you this, least anyone tries to deceive you with enticing words. ⁵Even though I am not with you in the flesh, I am with you in the spirit and do rejoice to see your good order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ. ⁶As you have therefore, received Christ Jesus the Lord, also walk in Him. ⁷Being rooted and built up in Him, established in the faith, as we have taught you, abounding with thanksgiving.

⁸Be aware, that no one misleads you through philosophy and vain intellectualism according to the traditions of men and the principles of the world rather than according to Christ. ⁹For in Christ's body dwells all the fullness of the Godhead ¹⁰and you are complete in Him, whom is the head of all principalities and power.

¹¹In Him, you were also spiritually circumcised by putting off the sins of the flesh, through the circumcision of Christ. ¹²For we have been buried with Him in baptism and so shall we also be raised with Him through your belief in the power of God, who raised Him from the dead. ¹³For due to your fleshly nature you were dead in your transgressions, but now, He has made you alive together with Him, having forgiven all our trespasses. ¹⁴He has blotted out all the charges that were against us, that were contrary to us, removing them from us, He nailed them to the cross. ¹⁵Disarming powers and principalities, He made them a public spectacle, triumphing over them.

¹⁶Let no one judge you in food or drink or regarding the festivals you keep, whether they be a new moon or a Sabbath. ¹⁷For these are shadows of things to come, but the body, the substance is found in Christ. ¹⁸Let no one cheat you out of your reward, as some take delight in false humility, worshiping angels and speculating on things they have not seen, being puffed up by their own intellect. ¹⁹These people are not holding fast to Christ, who is the Head of the body, which nourishes and knits the whole body together, that it may increase with the increase from God.

²⁰Therefore, if you died with Christ and are freed from the basic concepts of the world, why then do you subject yourself to the world's ways? ²¹Upholding various regulations, do not touch, taste or handle. ²²Why consider things that perish, for these things are the commandments and doctrines of men. ²³These things have an appearance of wisdom but are self imposed religion, coupled together with false humility and neglect of the body and they are of no value in controlling one's flesh.

Colossians: chapter 3

¹Since we were raised with Christ, seek the things which are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. ²Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things. ³For you have died with Christ and your life is now hidden in Christ. ⁴When Christ, who is our life is revealed, then we will also be with Him in glory. ⁵Therefore turn away from and put to death that which is in your earthly members; fornication, uncleanness, lustful passions, evil desires and covetousness which are all idolatry, (passions for things other than God). ⁶Due to these things, God's wrath will come upon the sons of disobedience, ⁷in which you once walked in.

⁸So now, you are to put off anger, wrath, your evil desires, cursing, filthy language from your mouth. ⁹Do not lie to one another, for you have put off the old man and likewise, also his deeds, ¹⁰And have put on the new man who is renewed in the knowledge of our God and Father. ¹¹In God there is nether Greek nor Jew, circumcision or uncircumcision, distinctions between persons, slave or free, but Christ is all things to all.

¹²Therefore as the elect of God put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness. ¹³Bearing with one another and forgiving one another. If anyone has a complaint against another, forgive one another just as Christ forgave you. ¹⁴But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. ¹⁵Allowing the peace of God to rule in your hearts, as you were called in one body and be thankful. ¹⁶Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, as you teach and encourage one another in the grace of the Lord. With scriptures, hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. ¹⁷Whatever you do in word and deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus giving thanks to God the Father.

¹⁸Wives submit yourselves to your husbands, for this honors the Lord. ¹⁹Husbands, love your wives, putting away all bitterness towards them. ²⁰Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is pleasing to the Lord. ²¹Fathers, do not provoke your children, least they become discouraged. ²²Bondservants, obey your masters according to the tasks given you, not being reluctant but with sincerity of heart. ²³Whatever you do, do it heartily unto the Lord, rather than to men. ²⁴Knowing that those who serve the Lord shall receive the reward of their inheritance, ²⁵but he who does wrong will also be repaid according to his deeds and no partiality shall be given.

Colossians: chapter 4

¹Masters, be just and fair to your bondservants, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven. ²Earnestly pray, being diligent to do so, with thanksgiving. ³Also pray for us, that God would open a door into the world for us to preach the mystery of Christ, for which cause, I am also in chains. ⁴That I may proclaim the mystery of Christ fully and make it clear. ⁵That I may walk in wisdom toward the unbelievers, making the most of the time. ⁶Now may your speech always be filled with grace, having been seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each other.

⁷Tychicus, a beloved brother, faithful minister and servant in the Lord, will tell you the news about me. ⁸I am sending him that he may learn of your circumstance and give you comfort. ⁹I am also sending Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of yours. He will also tell you about me.

¹⁰Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you as does Mark the cousin of Barnabas. ¹¹And Justus, they are my fellow workers for the kingdom and have proven to be a comfort to me. ¹²Epaphras, who is one of yours, is a bondservant for Christ and greets you, as he labors for you in prayer, that you may stand complete in God. ¹³For he has great zeal for you and those in Laodicea and in Hierapolis. ¹⁴Luke the beloved physician and Demas greet you. ¹⁵Greet the brothers who are in Laodicea, Nymphas and the church that is in his house.

¹⁶When this letter is shared among you, let it also be read in the church of the Laodiceans and likewise, read their epistle in your church. ¹⁷Tell Archippus, to fulfill the operation of the ministry that he has received from the Lord.

¹⁸This salutation is from my own hand, Paul, remember my chains, grace be to you, Amen.