and may walk according to that which is just, and may please Aloha in all good works, and may yield fruit, and increase in the knowledge of Aloha; and in all power be empowered according to the greatness of his glory in all patience and prolongedness of spirit: and with joy may give thanks to Aloha the Father, who hath fitted us for a portion of the inheritance of the saints in light, and hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and brought us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption and the forgiveness of sins: who is the image of Aloha the unseen,2 and the first-born of all the creatures. And by him was every thing created that is in heaven and in earth; all that is seen, and all that is unseen, whether thrones or dominions, or princes or powers; all things by his hand and through him were created; and he is before all, and every thing by him subsisteth. And he is the head of the body of the church, (he) who is the chief and first-born from among the dead, that he should be pre-eminent in all. For in him (the Father) hath willed all fulness to dwell; and by him to reconcile all things to himself, and to make peace through the blood of his cross, (even) by him, whether they be inhabitants in earth or in heaven.

III.

You also, who before were aliens and adversaries in your minds by your evil works, hath he reconciled now in the body of his flesh and through his death, to constitute you saints before him without spot and without blame; if you continue in your faith, your foundation being firm, and be not moved from the hope of the gospel which you have heard, and which is proclaimed to

1 Or, made us adequate to a portion.

2 Or, Aloha who is not seen.

Q

every creature who is under heaven, of which I, Paulos, am made a minister. I rejoice in the sufferings which are on your account, and fulfil the void of the afflictions of the Meshiha in my flesh for the sake of his body, which is the church; of which I am made a minister according to the dispensation of Aloha, which was given to me for you, to accomplish the word of Aloha; that mystery which was hidden from ages and generations, but now hath been revealed unto his saints. To whom Aloha hath willed to make known what is the opulence of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is, The Meshiha, who in you (is) the hope of glory; whom we proclaim, and (concerning whom) we teach and inform every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Jeshu Meshiha; for which also I labour and contend, according to the help of the power which is given to me.

But I wish you to know what an agony I have for you and for those who are in Laodikia, and for the rest who have not seen my person in the flesh; that their hearts may be comforted, and that they may approach in love to all the riches of assurance, and to the understanding of the knowledge of the mystery of Aloha the Father and of the Meshiha, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and of knowledge. But this I say, Let no man deceive you with the persuasion of words. For though in the flesh I am far from you, yet in the spirit I am with you; and I rejoice to behold your order, and the firmness of your faith in the Meshiha.

IV.

As, then, you have received Jeshu Meshiha our Lord, (so) in him walk, your roots strengthened,3 and you

3 Or, confirmed.

builded in him, and established in that faith which you have learned, that you may abound therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man strip you by philosophy and by vain deceit, according to the teaching of men, and according to the principles of the world, and not according to the Meshiha, in whom dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And in him also you are complete; for he is the head of all principalities and powers. And in him you have been circumcised with the circumcision which is not with hands, by the putting away of the flesh of sins, (even) by the circumcision of the Meshiha. And you have been buried with him by baptism, and in him have risen with him, who have believed in the power of Aloha who raised him from among the dead. And you who were dead in your sins, and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, he hath made alive with him, and forgiven us all our sins; and hath blotted out in his mandates the writing of our debts that was against us, and hath taken it from the midst, and affixed it to his cross; and by the yielding up of his body he hath prostrated principalities and powers, and hath shamed them openly by himself.

4

V.

LET no man therefore judge you in meat and in drink, or in the distinctions of festivals, and of new moons, and of shabeths, which are shadows of those to come, but the body is the Meshiha. And lest any man wish by abasement of mind to fetter you to be subject to the worship of angels, intruding 5 upon that which he hath not seen, and vainly inflated in his fleshly mind; and not holding the Head, from whom all the body is composed and constituted in joints and limbs, and increaseth (with) the

4 Or, weeks.

5 Or, adventuring; perhaps better, presuming.

increase of Aloha.

For if you are dead with the Meshiha

from the principles of the world, why as if you lived in

you are not to For these are of

the world are you judged? as that touch, nor to taste, nor to handle? perishable use, and are ordinances and doctrines of men; and appear to have in them a reason of wisdom, with the look of humility and the fear of Aloha, (as) not sparing the body, (yet) not in that which is (really) of value, but in those (things) whose use pertains to the flesh.

VI.

Ir, then, you have risen with the Meshiha, seek (the realities) which are on high, where the Meshiha sitteth at the right hand of Aloha. Think of that which is on high, and not of that on earth. For you are dead, and your life is bid with the Meshiha in Aloha; and when the Meshiha, who is our life, shall be manifested, then also will you be manifested with him in glory. Put to death, then, your members that are upon the earth: fornication, uncleanness, and passions, and evil desires, and covetousness, which itself is idolatry. For on account of these cometh the anger of Aloha upon the sons of disobedience.7 In these also you walked aforetime, when you were conversant in them. But now cease you from all these; anger, wrath, malice, reviling, impure speech and lie not one to another, but put off the old man with all his manners, and wear the new, who is renovated by knowledge in the image of his Creator, where there is not Jihudoya and Aramoya, nor circumcision and uncircumcision, nor Javanoya and Barbaroya, nor slave and freeman, but the Meshiha is all and in all. Wear, therefore, as the chosen of Aloha, saints and

beloved, compassions and tenderness, and benignity, and lowliness of mind, and composure, and patience. And bear with one another, and forgive one another, if any man have a complaint against his neighbour; even as the Meshiha hath forgiven you, so also forgive; and with all these charity, which is the girdle of perfection. And let the peace of the Meshiha direct your hearts, for to it you have been called in one body; and give thanks to the Meshiha, whose word shall dwell in you abundantly, in all wisdom. And teach and admonish yourselves in psalms and in hymns and in songs of the Spirit, and with grace sing with your hearts unto Aloha. And whatsoever you do, either in word or work, do (it) in the name of our Lord Jeshu Meshiha, and with thanksgiving through him unto Aloha the Father.

VII.

WIVES, be subject to your husbands, as it is right in the Meshiha. Men, love your wives, and be not bitter against them. Children, obey your parents in every thing, for so it is pleasing before our Lord. Fathers, exasperate not your children, that they be not discouraged. Servants, obey in every thing your masters according to the flesh, not in the sight of the eye (only), as those who please men, but from a simple heart, and in the fear of the Lord. And all that you do, from all your heart do (it), as to our Lord, and not as to men. And know that from our Lord you receive the reward in the inheritance; for the Lord the Meshiha you serve. But he who injureth is recompensed as he had injured, and there is no acceptance of persons.8 Masters, do equity and justice to your servants, knowing that you

8 Faces.