345 COLO SSIA N S 1:25

17 Before an ythi ng was crea ted, he existed,

and he holds all things in unit y.
18 Now the Church is his body, 1:15.24
Eo 1:22-23 ;
he is its head ." 5:23f

As he is the Beginning,
COLOSSIAN S he was first to be born from the dead,
so that he should be first in every way;
I Co 15:20
Rv 1:5
Rm8:29

19 because God wanted all perfection 2:9 +

Eo 1:23
THE LETTER OF PAU L to be found in hlrn«
Ep 1:10:
20 an d all things to be reconci led through him and for him," 2:14. 16
TO THE CHURCH AT COLOSSA E everything in heaven and everythi ng on eart h,'
when he mad e peace
by his death on the cross.
PREFAC E
The Colossians have their share in salvat ion
EO 2: l f; 4;
Address 21 Not long ago, you were foreigner s and enemies,' in the way tha t you used to 18-19 0
..J

2:13
22 th ink and the evil thi ngs that you did; - but now he has reconciled you, by his Eo 2:14- 16
U
R m l:l + From Pau l, appointed by God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus , and from ou r
Ac 9:13+ 1 brother Timothy -to the saints in Co lossae, our faith ful brothers in Christ:
Grace and peace to you from God our Father."
23
dea th and in that mortal body." Now you are able to appear before him holy,
pure and bla meless-s-vas long as you persevere a nd stand firm on the solid base
1 Co 1:8+
E o 5:27 +
(/)
of the faith, never letting you rselves drift away fro m the hope promised by the 1:5f NW

Thanksgiving and prayer Go od News, which you have heard , which has been preac hed to the whole hum an
M k 16:15
Ac 2:5
2 Co 3:6
~J:
...
race,' and of which I, Pau l, have become the serva nt. Eo 3:17
:iE p 1:15416 We have never failed to remember you in our prayers and to give thanks for Ep3:7
IIPhm4-5
you to God, the Fat her of ou r Lor d Jesus Christ, 'ever since we hear d ab out 4 Paul's labours in the service of the pagans I';l ;§
1 Co 13:I H you r faith in Chr ist Jes us a nd the love that you show tow ar ds all the saints 2:1 - ...
24 It makes me ha ppy to suffer for you, as I a m suffering now, and in my own M t 5: 11
I P 1:3 because of the hope which is sto red up for you in heaven. It is only recently that 1: 18+
body to do what I ca n to make up all that has still to be undergone by Christ for 2 Co 1:5
1:23 yo u hear d of this, when it was an nounced in the message of the tru th . The Good Rm 15: 19
IIEp 1:13 25 the sa ke of his body, the C hurch. '" .1 became the servant of the Church when God 2 Co 3:6
A c 14:3:
20 :24.32 New s -which has reached you is spreading all over the world and pro duc ing the
1 a. Ad d. (Yulz.) 'a nd t he Lo rd Jes us C hris t'. t ho ug ht it mus t mean th e sa me as in 2:9 (th e fullness
...
F
2 C o 6:1 same results as it has among you ever since the da y when you heard abo ut God's b. Lit. ' A fa ithfu l servant of C hris t on be ha lf of us ' ; of d ivinit y that tilled Jes us), bu t s ince vv, 15-1 8 ha ve
grace and un derstood what this rea lly is. •Epaphras, who taught you, is one of va r. ( Yulg .) 'o n beh alf of yo u' . al rea dy dealt wit h the d ivin ity o f J esu s . it seems likely
c . Li t. "Tha nking th e Fa the r (fo r) havi ng made you t ha t th e re ference here is to the bi blica l co ncept o f th e
our closest fellow workers and a faith ful deputy for us as Christ's servant, b -and (var. ' us ') fit for the pa rt of t he lot o f th e sai nts in th e en t ire cos mos as filled wit h the creative presence of ::;;
ICo 13:1+ it was he who told us all about you r love in the Spirit. ligh t' : var . ' fo r having called yo u (var. ' us' ) to .. . ' T he God, cf. Is 6:3: Jr 2 3:24: Ps 24: 1: 50: 12 : 72:19 : Ws 1:7 : J:
' lo t o f the sa in ts ' is what all ho ly people ar e to inhe ri t, Si 43:27 etc. T h is co ncep t was a lso widesp read in the 0-
IIEO 1:15 That will explain why, ever since the da y he told us, we have never failed to i.e. the 's a lva tio n' tha t had bee n thought of as a beq ues t G raeco- Ro ma n wo rld . Pau l teach es th a t th e inca rna t io n
EO 5:17 pra y for you , and what we as k Go d is that thro ugh perfect wisdom an d spiritual made exclus ively to Is rae l. Now, non -Jews are ca lled and resu rre ction mak e Ch ris t head no t o nly o f the
Ph 1:9
Ph m 6 to s ha re it, cf. Ep 1: 11- 13. T he wo rd 'sa in ts' (lit. ' ho ly entire h um an race , but of t he entire crea ted cos mos,
3:10 + understanding you should reach the fullest know ledge of his will. -So you will 10 o nes ') her e ca n mea n eit her C hris tia ns, i.e. peop le called so tha t every th ing t ha t was invo lved in the fall is eq ua lly 00
1 P h 1:27 be able to lead the kind of life which the Lord expects of you, a life acceptable to live the ' life of ligh t' wh ile st ill livi ng on ea rth,
R m 1:7f, cf. Jn 8: 12f, or it can mean the ange ls who live
inv ol ved in the sa lvati on , cf. Rm 8:19·22: 1 Co 3:22f:
15:20-2 8 : Eo 1:10; 4: 10; Ph 2: 10f : 3:21 : Heb 2:5-8.
W
J:
to him in all its aspects; showin g the results in all the good actions you do and with G od in th e eschatolog ical ' ligh t', cf . Ac 9: 13 + . Cf.2:9 +.
~

increasing you r knowledge of God. •You will have in you the strength, based on II d. Lit. ' In whom we have the redemption' . Add .
W s 5:5 + (Vu lg.) 'b y b lood ' , cf. En 1:7.
his own glorious power, never to give in, but to bear anything joyfully, -t han king 12
EO 1:11-1 3 : e. In th is poem Pa ul introduces two ways in whic h
5:8
the Fat her who has made it possible for you to jo in the saints an d with t hem
I P 1:4 ; 2:9
to inherit the light. c
Ch rist ca n claim to be the ' head ' o f every thing tha t
ex ists: I. he is the hea d o f creat io n, o f all th a t ex ists
Ac26: 18 natura lly, VV. 1 5 ~1 7: 2. he is head of t he new creation
In 8:12 +
Because that is wha t he has done: he has tak en us out of the power of darkness 13 a nd of ali that exists supe r na tu rally th rou gh havi ng
IIEo 1:6-7 bee n saved , vv, 18-20. T he su b ject o f th e po em is the
and created a place for us in the kingdom of the Son that he loves, -a nd in him, 14 pre-existe nt Ch rist, but co nside red o n ly in so far as he
R m 3:24 +
we gain our freedom," the forg iveness of our sins. was ma nifes t in the uniq ue historic person that is th e
Heb 1:3 +
so n o f God made man . cf. P h 2:5 +. It is as the incarnate
G o d t hat Jes us is th e 'i mage o f God ', i.e . h is human
nat ur e was the visib le mani fes tation of Go d who is
I. F OR MAL I NSTRUCTION inv isib le, cr. R m 8:29 -+", and it is as su ch. in thi s co ncre te
h uma n nature. and as part of cre a tion, th at Jesus is
ca lled the 'first-born of cr ea tion '- not in th e temp or al
h. Le. thr o ugh and fo r C h ris t, cf. th e parallel
't h ro ug h h im and for him ' of v. 16. Alterna tively, it
~
co uld read 'God wa nte d eve ryth ing .. . to be reco nciled
to him sel f, thrbugh him who ma de peace . . ' , cf.
Rm 5: 10 ; 2 Co 5: 18f. ...
i , T h is reco nciliat ion of th e who le un iverse
(incl uding ange ls as well as human beings) me ans,
no t th at every sing le ind ivid ua l wilt be sa ved. but that
all who a re sa ved wilt be saved by the ir co llective
0-
re tu rn te the rig h t order an d peace of perfect sub-- ~
missio n to God . A ny individ ual s who do not jo in
thi s new creat io n throu gh grace witt be forced to jo in it.
cf. 2: 15 : 1 Co 15:24~25 <the heaven ly sp iri ts) and
2 T h 1:8-9 : I Co. 6:9~IO: Ga 5:21: R m 2:8: Ep 5:5
(m en ).
I, T he co ntex t suggests th at th er e is a closer parallel ".I ~

Christ is the head of all creation' sense of havin g been bo rn first, bu t in the sense o f wit h Ep 4: I8f (foreig ne rs to God a nd therefore God 's
havi ng been given the first pl ace of honou r. enem ies) than with Ep 2: 12 (fo reigners in Isr ael) .
1:18 +
G n 1:1-2
He is the image of the unseen God 15 k. 'h e' , Le. th e Fa ther . T he hum an , mort al body
f. O n t he Church as Ch rist 's body, cf. 1 Co J2: 12f ; is tha t of h is So n (li t. 'flesh bo d y') : th is p rov ides t he
Ps 89: 27
Ws 7:2 6
and the first-born of all creation, he is ca lled the ' hea d ' o f his own bo dy b oth in a locu s whe re the recon ciliati on tak es p lace. In to th is
Zc 12: 10 for in him were created 16 te mporal sense (v. 18, i.e. he was the first to ri se from bo dy t he enti re human race is effect ively gat hered .
In 1:3.18 the dea d ) and in a sp iritua l sense (v. 20, i.e , he is th e cf. Ep 2:J4- 16, because C h ris t has ass umed its sin,
Rm 8:29
Heb 1:3.6
a ll th ings in heaven a nd on ear th: leader o f all the saved). 2 Co 5:21. T he ' flesh ' bod y is t he body as affect ed by
everyt hing visible and everything invisible, g. Li t. ' because (G od ) wa n ted the pleroma to sin. 2 Co 5:2 1; cr. Rm 8:3 ; 7:5 + ; Heb 4;15 .
E p 1:10. 21 + dwe ll in h im' . T he exact meaning of t he wor d tileroma I. Lit. 'to a ll cre ati on und er the sky' .
Thro nes, Dominat ion s, Sovereignties , Powers- (t.e. t he thing tha t fills up a ga p o r hole , like -a pa tch , m. Lit . 'alt t ha t is Jack ing from the suffe rings of
R m 11:36
1 Co 8:6 all th ings were created through him and for him. cf M t 9:16) is no t ce rt a in here. So me write rs h av e C h rist ;.. C h urc h ' . Je su s suffered in ord er to es tab lis h th e
III
"
 1:26 C OLO S SI A NS 34 6 347 CO L O S SI A NS 3:4
made me respons ible for delivering God 's message to you, -the message which 26 forbidden to pick up this, it is forbidden to taste that, it is forbid den to to uch
Pm 16:25 +
was a mystery hidde n for generati ons and centuries and has now been revealed to 22 something else'; -a ll these prohibit ions are on ly concerned with things that I Co 6:13;
8:8
his saints. -It was God's purpose to reveal it to them and to show all the rich glory 27 per ish by their very use-an example of human doctrines and regulations! Is 29:lJ
3:4 M'1 5:9
Ep2: 12 of this mystery to pagans . The mystery is Chr ist among you, your hope of glor y:" 23 It may be argued that true wisdom is to be found in these, with their self-imposed
I T h4:13
1 Co 2:6 this is the Christ we proclaim, this is the wisdom in which we thoroughly train 28 devotions, thei r self-abasement, and the ir severe treatment of the body; but once 2 Tm 3:5
Ep4: 13+ everyone and instruct everyone, to make them all perfect in Christ. •It is for 29 the flesh starts to protest, they are no use at all. '
Ph4:13 th is I struggle wearily on, helped only by his power driving me irresistibly.
2 Th 1:11
Life-giving union with the glorified Christ
Paul's concern for the Colossians' faith
Since you have been brought back to true life with Christ, you must look for Ep 2:6+
1:24
I Th2:17 2 Yes, I want you to know that I do have to stru ggle hard for you , and for
those in Laodicea, and for so many oth ers who have never seen me face to
3 the things that are in heaven, where Christ is, sittin g at God's right ha nd.
P h 3:20
Ac 2:33+

Let your thoughts be on heavenly things, not on the thin gs that are on the eart h,
face. • It is all to bind you together in love and to stir your minds, so that you r because you have died, and now the life you have is hidden with Chri st in God. 2:1 2
Ep 3: 18- 19 P h 1:21
understandi ng may come to full development, un til you really know God 's 4 But when Christ is revealed-and he is you r- life-you too will be revealed in all 1:27
Pc 2:4- 5 I P5:!
Is 45:3 secret a - in which" all the jewels of wisdom and knowledge are hidden . your glory with him ." 1 Jn3:2
Ep 4:14 ; 5:6 Rm 8:19
I say this to make sure that no one deceives you with specious arg uments. c 4
I Co 5:3-4
Ph 1:27 I may be abse nt in body, but in spirit I am there a mong you, delighted to find you 5
I T h 2: 17
all in harmony a nd to see how firm your faith in Chr ist is.

II. A WARNING AGAI NST S O M E ERRORS reign of God. and anyone who conti nues his work mus t I . Sur gical circumci sion removes only a piece of

...'"
s ha re thi s suff ering , Pa ul is not saying that he th inks hi s sk in.
own sufferin gs increase the value of the redemption b. The 'c ircum cision' instituted by Christ, i.e, ~~
Live according to the true faith in Christ, not according to false teaching (since tha t valu e cann o t be inc re ased) but th at he shares baptism.
by his sufferings as a missionary in those th at Jesu s i. God the Fa ther .
Ep 4:21
H cb 2:9 Yo u must live your whole life acco rding to the Christ you have received- had undergone in his own missio n. cr. 2 Co 1:5: I , ' yOU' ; var . 'us'.
Ac 2:22 + Ph 1:20+ . T hese a re the sufferings predicted for th e k. ' us ' ; var. 'you' .
ED 3: 17 Jes us the Lord ; -you must be rooted in him and built on him and held firm by the messianic era . Mt 24:8 + ; Ac 14:22 + : 1 T m 4:1 -i-, an d I. The La w was able to do nothing about a sinner N :!:
I T h 2:13 + ~ ~
faith you have been ta ught, and full of than ksgiving. are all part of the way in which God had always except co ndemn him to dea th, Rm 7:7 -i-: thi s dea th
M 115 :2 intended th e Church to develop : Pa ul feels t hat. being senten ce is wha t Oo d had car ried out on his own Son
G a 4: 3 -r- Make sure that no one traps you and depr ives you of yo ur freedom- by some 8
t he messen ger Ch rist has chosen to send to the pag ans. in o rder to suppress it for the rest of. the world. an d it
ED 4: 14 : 5:6
secondhand, empty, ratio nal philosophy based on the principles of this world he has been specially ca lled on to expe rience t hese was for t his very reason tha t G od ' s Son was 'm ade
sufferings . sin' , 2 Co 5:21. 's ubject to the Law', G a 4:4, and
instead of on Christ.
j~ n. Previous ly. when it ha d seemed (to th e Jews)
th a t pa gans co uld never be saved. as sa lvatio n was
'c ur sed ' by the La w. Ga 3:13. In the perso n of his Son .
whom he a llowed to be exec uted . God nailed up an d
~
11 Christ alone is the true head of men and angels rest ricted to 'Is rael " pa gan s had seemed to be without de stroyed our death wa rran t, as well as all the ch a rges
a Mess iah and co nsequently to be depr ived of a ll it made agai nst us.
1:19 1- In his body lives the fullness of divinit y,' an d in him you too find your own
In I: lfi hope , Ep 2:12. The ' myste ry' or secre t of God tha t m. The tra dit ion is that the Law was brought down
E D 1: 13: 3: had now been reveale d was that the pa gan s too were. to M oses by ange ls, Oa 3: t 9 +. and by hono uring them :!:
19 : 4:12- fulfilment, -in the one who is the head of every Sovereignty and Power.! 10
a nd had been, a ll called to be saved thr ough un ion as the lawgiver s, cr. v. 18. peo ple ha ve been distr acted
:r:
o,
13 In him you have been circumcised, with a circumcision not performed by II wit h Chr ist, a nd so to reach eternal eto rv, cr. Ep 2:13- from t he tru e crea tor. Now tha t G od has brough t the
Jr4:4 +
R m 2:25-29 22 ; 3:3-6. reg ime of that La w to an en d, by means of t he cru el-
Ph 3:3 human hand , but by the complete str ipping of you r body of flesh." This is cir- 2 a. Var. ' the myste ry of Christ'. cr. 4:3 : Ep 3:4 ; Oxion, these a ngelic power s have lost the one th ing
Rm 6:3-4 + cumcision according to Christ. " •You have been bur ied with him, when you 12 or ' Go d 's myste ry of Ch rist'. or ' the mystery of G od tha t ha d given them power. and so they too mus t ack- In
R m 1:4 1- : the fath er of C hrist' . or ' the mystery of G od the nowl edg e that Christ has tri umphed over them. w
8:11 + were bapti sed; and by baptism, too, you have been raised up with him th rou gh Fa ther, a nd of C hrist', etc . n, Lit . ' but the body is Ch rist' - a pun on the :I:
ED 1:19r :
2:6 + you r belief in the power of G od who raised him from the dead.• Yo u were dead , 13 b. 'in which ', i.e. in th e 'mystery' t ha t revealed word som a (' bodY' ) as bein g bo th tha t which is mo re
/:22 wh at till then had been ' hidden' . nam ely t he ' infinite rea l th an a ny shadow or reflect ion. and the bo dy
because you were sinners and had not been circumcised: he' has brought you/ wisdo m' of G od, cf. Rm 16:25 +: 1 T m 3:16 + . That of th e risen Chris t which Is what gives reality to our
liED 2:I.5r to life with him, he has forgiven us" all our sins. it is C hrist who is revealed in th e mystery . 1:27. is of esch at olo gical hope. and wh ich is t he firs t evide nce
Ep 2: 15
He has overr idden the Law, and can celled every reco rd of the debt that we 14
cou rse tru e, a nd he himse lf is also the W isdom of God. th at th e new crea tion has a lread y begun. ~
I Co 1:24.30, a nd he is also the Mystery, t Co 2:7. tha t e . Or ' Do not let people take the liberty of looking
had to pay; he has done away with it by nailing it to the cross ;' -a nd so he got
rr Is 53:12
I P 3:22 rid of the Sovereignties a nd the Powers, and paraded them in public, behind him
15 is hard to und erstan d . Ep 3:8,19.
c. T his will be develop ed in v. Sf.
d. To deny Chris t after he has libe ra ted them from
down on yo u Just beca use they grovel . . . '
p. D ietary and cultic prac tices, v. 16, are only
superstitiou s worr ies ab out material thi ngs and the
in his triumph al procession . 'II the tyr ann y of 'darkness ' . 1: I3f , by going back to
~
2 C o 2:14 ' stllri ts ' th at are supposed to control them. cf. Ga 4:
error, wou ld be nothing but a new slav ery. cf. O a4:8f; sr,
5:1. q. vee. (Vulg,) · they have not (in fact) had' .
Against the false asceticism based on 'the principles of this world' e. The word nleroma her e, cf. 1:19 + , is deftned Pau l is ex plaining where the teachers a t Colossae hav e
R m 14:) -4 From now onwards, never let anyone else decide what you should eat or dr ink, 16 as th e 'div inity' th at is act ually 'tilling' C hr ist now in gone wro ng. wh ich is either because they a ttach a fa lse
G. 4:3+ his body: in oth er words, the risen Christ, through imp ortan ce to thei r 'vlsions' or , a t a mor e gener al level,
I T m 4:3 or wheth er you are to observe annual festivals, New Moons or sabbat hs. •These 17
Heb 9:10 his inca rnat ion an d resurrect ion , unites the divine becau se they th in k their own completely unspiritual
were only pale reflections of what was coming: the reality IS Christ." -Do not be 18 a nd the created. T he former is what he is by his pre- ide as a re what religion is about. '7
Heb 10: 1 existence and his p resent glory ; t he latter is, as human. r. C hr ist, Ep 4: 15.
taken in by people who like grovelling- to angels and worshipping them ;" people what he has ass umed dir ectly. and, as cos mic. wh at
Ga 6:12 like th at are always going on about some vision the y have had, q inflating them- he ass umed indirectly t hro ugh bein g hum a n. In thi s
way he him self is the pleroma of all poss ible ca tegori es s. Lit . these things ' are no t in a ny honour for
selves to a false importance with the ir worldl y outlook. ·A man of this sort 19 of being. sat isfaction of the ftesh' : thi s may mean either tha t
liED 4:15-16
is not united to the head, r and it is the head that adds strength and holds the r. A Christian sh ares th is pleroma of C hri st by they are of no rea l va lue in subduin g ' the ftesh'. or else
being pa rt of it. i.e. par t of Christ's bo dy, cf. (tex t ' they a re of no value and only help to sa tisf y the
whole body toget her. with a ll its jo ints and sinews- and this is the only way in and notes) 1:19: Eo 1:23: 3:19; 4:12- 13, a nd as a ftosh ' .
which it can reach its full growth in G od. co nsequence of thi s he is raised to be h igher t ha n even 3 a. var. 'our' .
G. 4:3 + the highest grad e of an gel. Th e follow ing verses develop b. Through union with Christ in bap tis m. 2:12,
If you have really died with Christ to the principles of this world, why do you 20 these two ideas: disciples of Christ sha re his tr iumph. his foll owers a lready live the ident ical life he lives in
still let rules dictate to you, as though you were stillli ving in the world? • 'It is 21 vv, 11-13. over even the highest grade of a ngel, vv, 14- heav en . cf. Ep 2:6+ , but this spi ritual life is not
15. mani fest and glorious as it will be at the parous/ a. II,
 3:5 C O LOSS IANS 348 349 COLO S S I ANS 4:18
a nd a loyal help er a nd co mpa n ion in the ser vice o f the Lo rd . •I a m send ing h im
III. E X H O R T A T I O N to yo u precisely fo r this pu rp ose: to give yo u news a bout us' a nd to reassu re you .
With him I a m sending O nesimus, that dear a nd fait hful brother who is a fello w Phm 10 f
Genera l rules of Christian behaviou r citizen of you rs. T hey will tell yo u everyt hing th at is happening here.
R m 6:11f That is why you mu st kill everything in you tha t belo ngs only to earthly life:'
Ga 5:24
E p4:22
Greetings" and fina l wishes Phm 23f
R m 1:29 + fo rn ica tio n, im purity, guilty passion, evil desires and especiall y greed, wh ich is
liE. 5 :6 the sa me t hing as worship ping a fa lse god ; -all th is is the sort of beha viour tha t 10 Ar ista rchus, who is here in prison wit h me, sends h is greeti ngs, a nd so does Ac 19:29
R m 1:18 + makes God angry." -A nd it is the way in wh ich yo u used to live when you wer e Mark, the cous in of Barnabas-you were sent some instruction s about him ; Ac 12: 12 +
liE. 2:2-3 2 Tm4:11
T t 3:3 surrounded by people doing the sa me thin g, • but now yo u, of a ll people, m ust Ii if he co mes to you , give him a wa rm welcorne-c--a nd Jesus Justus adds his greet-
E. 4:31
give a ll t hese things up: getti ng angry, being bad-tempered , sp itefu lness , abusive ings. Of all th ose who ha ve come over from t he Circumcision, these are the only
E p 4:25
lan guage a nd dirty ta lk; -a nd never tell each other lies. Yo u have stripped off ones actua lly wo rking with me for the kingdom of God . T hey have been a grea t
R m6:6
IIEp 4:22-24 your ol d behavi our with you r old self, -and you have put on a new self wh ich will 10 12 comfo rt to me.• Epa phras, ye ur fellow citi zen , sends his greetings ; th is servant
G o 1:26-27 prog ress towards tru e kno wledge the mo re it is renewed in th e ima ge o f its o f C hrist Jesu s ne ver stops ba ttl ing for yo u, praying tha t you will never la pse but R m 15:30
G o 11: 1
crea to r; ' -and in that image there is no room for distinction bet ween G ree k II 13 always hold perfect ly a nd securely to the wiil of God. • , ca n testify fo r him that
1 Co 12: 13:
15:28 a nd Jew , betw een the circu mc ised o r the uncircumcised , or between barbari an 14 he wo rks har d fo r yo u, as well as for those a t La odi cea a nd Hiera po lis. •G reetings
Ga 3:27-28
E p 4 : 13
a nd Scythian, slave and free man . There is on ly C hrist: he is every thing a nd he from my dea r friend Luke, the docto r, a nd a lso fro m De mas. 2Tm 4:HH I

is in eve rything'! 15 Please give my greetings to the bro thers at Lao d icea a nd to Nymp ha a nd the
IIEp 4: 1-2 .3 2
Yo u are God's ch osen race, his sai nts; he loves you , a nd you sho uld be clo thed 12 16 chu rch wh ich meets in her hou se. - After this lett er has been read among you, Rm 16:5
1 Th 5:27
1 Th5 :1S in since re co mpa ssio n, in kind ness a nd humi lity, gentleness a nd pat ienc e. • Bear 13 send it on to be read in the churc h o f the Laodicea ns; and get the letter ' from
M t6: 14: V>
18:2 1-35 with one a not her ; forgive each other as soon as a quarrel begins. T he Lo rd has 17 Laod icea for you to rea d yo urselves. -G ive Archi ppus this message, ' Remember Phm 2 ~ W
2 Co 2:7 ,J:
E p 4 :32 + fo rgiven you; now you mu st do the same. -O ver a ll thes e clot hes, to keep them 14
the service that the Lo rd wa nts yo u to do. a nd try to car ry it o ut'. f-
R m 13:8-
10 + together a nd com plete th em, put on love. - And may the peace of C hrist reign 15
18 Here is a greeting in my own ha ndwr itin g-i- Pxu t., Re member the chains I I Co 16:21
Ga 6: 11
1 Co 13:1 +
E p 2:16 :
in your hearts, because it is for this that you were called together as par ts of o ne wear. G race be with youJ E p3:1+
4:3-4 2Th 3: 17
Ph 4:7 Phm 19 N ::E
1 Co 12:12 + body. Always be thankful. Phm9 ~ ~
Let the message of C hrist, ' in a ll its richness, find a ho me with you. Teach 16
Ep 4 :29
ea ch o ther, and ad vise eac h o ther, in all wisdo m. With grat itude in yo u r hea rts
Ac 16:25 sing psal ms a nd hym ns a nd inspired songs to G od;' -a nd never say o r do a nything 17
IIE p 5: 19-20
f-
I Co 10:31 exce pt in t he name o f the Lo rd Jesus, giving thanks to G od th e Fa ther throu gh ;:::
him .

IIE p ~:~ I - The morals of the home and household' :;;

IP;i ~;~ Wi ves, give way to your husba nds, as you should in the Lord. • H usbands, : ~
c. A t the m ystical le vel o f u ni o n wit h C h r ist in
J:
0..

E p 6: 1 lo ve you r wives and tre at them with gentle ness. ·Ch ild ren, be ob ed ient to your 20 sa me word ea ch time , l.e . C hr ist is the mast er eq ually
hea ven , pa rt icipa tio n in his d eat h a nd resurrccuon of bo th s la ve a nd slave -ow ner .
pa rents always, becau se th at is what will please the Lord .• Pa rents, never drive 2 1 thro u gh ba p tis m is insta n tan eo u s anti ini al. 2: 12f,20 ; k . T ha t a ma ster s ho uld nam e a s lav e as his heir,
3: 1·4 ; Rm h:4 1 . hu t a t t h e prac tic a l le ve t o f llfe o n cr, M t2 1:35·R: Lk 15:19 : Ga 4: l -2, is on e of th e m ost IXl
your ch ild ren to resentment or yo u will ma ke the m feel frustra ted . ea rt h. t his un ion ha s to be gro wn into z ra u uallv .
W
R m 6: 15 +
im p ressive proo fs o f how d iffere nt the new creauon :r
I Co 7:21-23 Sla ves, be o bed ie nt to the men who a re called you r mas ters in t his worl d; 22 A l rea d y ' u ead ' in the or y . the C h r ist ian mu s t experie nc e ' in C h ris t ' is, cf ', Rm 8:J5-1', ; G a 4 :3.7 : Phm 16 .
En 6:5 d ea th an d rebi rth d a ily, co ns ta n t tv. b y ' killi n g' th e 4 a , Va r. 'of G od ', cf 2:2,
I T m 6: 1 not o nly wh en you a re und er thei r eye, as if you had onl y to pleas e men , but o ld and sin f u l sel f. b. Lit . 'se asoned with sa il ', a c taas ical G reek clic he.
Tl2:9- 10 wholehe arted ly, o ut o f respect for th e Master '; • W hat ever your work is, put 23
Phm 16 d . A d J . ( Vu llo: .) ' w i t h those wh o res i st h im ', d . c r. M k 9:50.
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I P 2 :18 your heart into it as if it we re for the Lord and not for men, - kno wing that the 24 Eo 5:6.
e. T he hum an r ace th at w as to h ave been (he c , Vur, <VlIlf.: .) ' to s et you r news ' ,
Lo rd will rep ay yo u by ma king yo u his heir s.v It is C hrist the Lo rd th at yo u a re ' tm aec o f God', G n 1:26 t , lo st u s way l o 'in lo: It l d, O n A ris tarc h us. cf . A c 19:29, O n Mark , ct.
loc al e t he ' k no wle d ge o f goo d an d evi l' o u t sitJc and Ac 12: 12 J_, 'Jesu s JUStuS' is not men ti on ed anywhere
serv ing ; -a nyo ne who doc s wro ng will be repaid in kind a nd he does not fav ou r 25 a part fro m the will of God . (i n 2: 17 --", a nd be ca m e t he else ; h is surn a me was quae co m mon a mo ng Je ws an d
J bE~I ~I: ~ o ne perso n mor e t ha n a no ther . 4 Mas ter s, ma ke sure th at you r sla ves a re given I slav e o f si n and si n f u l u r ges. Rm 5: 12 -I . Thi s i s th e Jewish co nver ts . d . Ac 1:23 : IR:27, Epa p hras . born 0..
'o ld se lf ( ma n)' that mu st d ie. Rm td l : ED 4:22; the
Phm 16 wha t is j ust a nd fai r, know ing that yo u too ha ve a Master in heaven .
'n ew se lf ' is re bo rn in C b ris t. Ep 2:15 + , who is
a t Co tos sae (an d th eref ore nOI the sa me per son as
Ena p hro du us who came from P hilip p i, Ph 2 :25 ; 4: 18)
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t he tr ue imag e o f G od, Rm H:29 t- , In thi s wa y rbc had been sen t by Pau l to evang elise Col oss ae. h is o wn
Th e apostolic spirit hum an race can bo th re cov er it s otiuin al p urity an d na t lve tow n , Co l 1:7, Lu ke is th e eva neclist a nd a ut ho r
reach tru e mo ral ce r titude . 1:9 : Heb 5: 14 , o f Ac: he had join ed Pa u l to war d s th e e nd o f his thi rd
R m 12:12
Be persevering in yo u r prayers and be th a nkful as yo u stay awake to pray. r. Th e ne w c re a t io n w ill not be d ivid ed i n u, ra ce s jou r ney, AI' 20: 5f, had been wit h him rill they reached
IIEp 6: I 8-20 and re fiaion s and cult ures a nd socia l cl asses in th e wa y
I T h 5:6 Ro me, Ac 27: If. and no w, wit h Pa u l under ar rest ,
Il" i /5:30 -!- Pr ay for us es pecia lly, as king God to sho w us o pportu nities fo r an nouncing th e th e pr ese nt crea l io n has be en si nce the F a ll: the whol e he is s li ll by his s ide, ct . Phm 24, a s he will be again ~ :;
1 Co 16:9 \· mes sage a nd procl a iming t he mystery of Ch rist, a fo r t he sake of which I a m in wor ld w ill be reu ni ted in C h rist. aft er Pa u l ha s been arres ted a seco nd time, 2 T nt 4 : II .
2 T h 3: 1 J:. Var , 'of t he Lo rd ', or 'o f Go d' : poss ib ly the text
He b 13: 18 O n De ma s, cr. Phm 24 : 2 T m 4:10 , Wh n tbe wom a n
c ha ins; • pray that I may procla im it as clearly as I o ught. orilo: ina ll y re ad "he Wo rJ ', d . Ph 1:14 ; 2: 30. ca lled Ny mp ha wa s (or m an, if t he correct sp e lling is
1 Co 5: 12 + Be tactful with th ose who ar e no t Ch ristia ns a nd be sure you mak e the best h. T hese ' tnsnt red songs ' co u ld be cha ris mat ic N ym n ha sj is unk no wn . A rchip pu s. v , 17, IS proba bly
IIE p 5: 15 im pr o visati ons s uegc s ted b y th e Sp iri t d u rillJ.: luuraic a l
2 Co 6:2 + the S\ 1n of Ph ilem on, P hm 2 : wha t th e serv «..:e was th e
E p 5: 16 use of yo ur time wit h th em .• Talk to th em ag reea bly a nd with a flavo ur o f wit," asse mb ly: d . I Co 12:7f : 14:26 . Lo rd wa nted h im to do is not k now n ,
a nd try to fit yo ur a nswers to the needs of each one. I. Pa ul chr istens t hese s un nlc precept s o f o rd ina ry c . Pau l ex pec ted hIS le u ers to be: rea d in p ub lic
mo ra lity by inl roducinx his ph rase ' in th e Lord ' which 10 t he as sem b led bro t hers. 1 T h 5:27. a nd th en pa ssed
m us t be tak en here as mea run a 'acco rd tna to t he o n III nei ll:hho ur i nsz churc hes , cf. 2 Co I: I, T he leit e r
P ersona l news C h ristia n wa y of life ". Th ese C hrtsuan ao plkJl ion s are t hat wa s ( 0 be br o ught ba d (W I" La od icea 10 Co los sae
Ac 20:4 + fu rther devctcp ed in ED 5:22f. wa s Pro babl y the nn e t hat Pau l wro te (0 Ep hes us .
IIE p 6:2 1 Ty chicus will tell you all the news ab out me . He is a bro ther I love very mu ch, i . 'y o ur mast ers th e Ma ster ' ; Pau l uses th e r. A ll..!, (Vu lg.) ' Amell ' , e r, Ph 4:23.
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