your requests be made known unto God. And 7 the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, 8 1 Gr. reverend. whatsoever things are 1honourable, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things 2 Or, gracious are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. The things which ye both learned and received 9 and heard and saw in me, these things do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

3 Gr. take account of.

• Gr. rejoiced.

5 Or, seeing that

But I rejoice in the Lord greatly, that now 10 at length ye have revived your thought for me; wherein ye did indeed take thought, but ye lacked opportunity. Not that I speak in 11 respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therein to be content. I 12 know how to be abased, and I know also how to abound in every thing and in all things have I learned the secret both to be filled and to be hungry, both to abound and to be in want. I can do all things in him that strengtheneth 13 me. Howbeit ye did well, that ye had fellow- 14 ship with my affliction. And ye yourselves 15 also know, ye Philippians, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church had fellowship with me in the matter of giving and receiving, but ye only; for even in Thessalonica ye sent once 16 and again unto my need. Not that I seek for 17 the gift; but I seek for the fruit that increaseth to your account. But I have all things, and 18 abound: I am filled, having received from Epaphroditus the things that came from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well-pleasing to God. And my God 19

shall fulfil every need of yours according to

20 his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Now unto

21

our God and Father be the glory 1for ever 1Gr. unto the and ever. Amen.

ages of the ages.

The

All

Salute every saint in Christ Jesus. 22 brethren which are with me salute you. the saints salute you, especially they that are of Cæsar's household.

23

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

THE EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO THE

COLOSSIANS.

PAUL, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the 1 will of God, and Timothy 1our brother, to the 2 saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colossæ: Grace to you and peace from God our Father.

We give thanks to God the Father of our 3 Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, having heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and 4 of the love which ye have toward all the saints, because of the hope which is laid up for you 5 in the heavens, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel, which is 6 come unto you; even as it is also in all the world bearing fruit and increasing, as it doth in you also, since the day ye heard and knew the grace of God in truth; even as ye learned 7 of Epaphras our beloved fellow-servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, who also declared unto us your love in the 8 Spirit.

For this cause we also, since the day we 9 heard it, do not cease to pray and make request for you, that ye may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, to walk worthily of the Lord 10 *unto all pleasing, bearing fruit in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of

1

2 Or, in

Some ancient authorities

11 God; 1strengthened with all power, according Gr. made to the might of his glory, unto all patience powerful. 12 and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks unto the Father, who made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light; 13 who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the Son 14 of his love; in whom we have our redemption, 15 the forgiveness of our sins: who is the image

6

read you.

5

That is, hold together. Or, that might have among all he Or, For the whole fulness pleased to dwell

of God was

of the invisible God, the firstborn of all crea16 tion; for in him were all things created, in the heavens and upon the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been created through him, and unto him; 17 and he is before all things, and in him all things 18 'consist. 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 19 have the preeminence. For it was the good pleasure of the Father that in him should all 20 the fulness dwell; and through him to reconcile all things unto himself, having made peace through the blood of his cross; through him, in him I say, whether things upon the earth, or things. Or, him 21 in the heavens. And you, being in time past alienated and enemies in your mind in your 22 evil works, yet now hath he reconciled in the Some ancient body of his flesh through death, to present you read ye have holy and without blemish and unreproveable been reconciled. 23 before him: if so be that ye continue in the faith, grounded and stedfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel which ye heard, which was preached in all creation under heaven; whereof I Paul was made a minister.

24

9

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and fill up on my part that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh

7 Or, into him

authorities

1 Or, steward. ship

2 Gr. from the ages and from

the generations.

for his body's sake, which is the church; whereof 25 I was made a minister, according to the 'dispensation of God which was given me to you-ward, to fulfil the word of God, even the mystery 26 which hath been hid from all ages and generations: but now hath it been manifested to his saints, to whom God was pleased to make 27 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 proclaim, 28 admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ; whereunto I labour 29 also, striving according to his working, which 'Or, in power worketh in me mightily.

* Or, fulness

The ancient vary much in the text of this

authorities

passage.

6 Or, by

Some ancient

authorities insert in it.

9

Or, See whe

For I would have you know how greatly 1 2 I strive for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh; that their hearts may be comforted, 2 they being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, that they may know the mystery of God, even Christ, in whom are all the treasures of 3 Wisdom and knowledge hidden. This I say, 4 that no one may delude you with persuasiveness of speech. For though I am absent 5 in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ.

As therefore ye received Christ Jesus the 6 Lord, so walk in him, rooted and builded up 7 in him, and stablished in your faith, even as ye were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

8 Take heed lest there shall be any one that 8 maketh spoil of you through his philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the Or, elements rudiments of the world, and not after Christ: for in him dwelleth all the fulness of the 9

ther

9