DASV: Digital American Standard Version
DASV: Colossians 1
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus
by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,
2 to the saints, the faithful brothers
in Christ who are at Colossae. Grace and peace to you from God our
Father.
3 We always give
thanks to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when praying for you,
4 since we heard about your faith
in Christ Jesus, and the love which you have for all the saints,
5 which comes from the hope in
what is laid up for you in heaven, which you heard before in the word of truth,
the gospel.
6 It has come to you; just as it is
bearing fruit and growing in all the world, as it does also in you, since the day you heard
and knew the grace of God in truth.
7 You learned the gospel from
Epaphras, our beloved fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on
our behalf,
8 who also told us of your love in
the Spirit.
9 For this reason we also, since
the day we heard about you, never stopped praying for you, requesting that you
may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and
understanding.
10 Then you may live a worthy life,
pleasing to the Lord in every way, bearing fruit in every good work, and growing
in the knowledge of God.
11 May you be strengthened with all
power, according to his glorious might, unto all patience and endurance with
joy,
12 giving thanks to the Father, who
has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.
13 For he rescued us out of the
power of darkness, and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves,
14 in whom we have redemption, the
forgiveness of sins.
15 He is the
image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
16 For by him all things were created,
in heaven and on the earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions,
whether principalities or powers; all things have been created by him and for
him.
17 He is before all things, and all
things are held together in him.
18 He is the head of the body, the
church, he is the beginning, the firstborn from among the dead; so that in everything
he might have the first place.
19 For the Father was pleased that all his fullness should dwell in
him;
20 and through him to reconcile to
himself all things, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross,
whether things on earth or things in heaven.
21 You who were once alienated and
enemies in your mind due to your evil actions,
22 he has now reconciled you by the
body of his flesh through death, to present you holy, without blemish, and absolutely
free from accusation before him;
23 if you continue in the faith,
grounded and steadfast, not moved away from the hope promised to you in the
gospel that you heard. This is the gospel which has been proclaimed to every
creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.
24 Now I
rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and fill up my part that which is
lacking in the sufferings of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is
the church.
25 I have become its servant since
the time God commissioned me, which was given me for you, to fulfill the word
of God,
26 that is the mystery that has
been hidden for ages and generations, but now has been revealed to his saints.
27 God desired to make known to
them the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is
Christ in you, the hope of glory.
28 We proclaim him, warning and
teaching everyone in all wisdom, that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.
29 For this gospel I also labor,
struggling with all his power, which works mightily in me.
DASV: Colossians 2
1 For I want you to know how much
I struggle for you, and for those at Laodicea, and for those who have not met
me face to face.
2 I want their hearts to be
encouraged and united in love, and to have all riches of confident
understanding, and know the mystery of God, namely Christ,
3 in whom are hidden all the
treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
4 I say this so that no one will
deceive you with persuasive arguments.
5 For though I am absent in body,
I am with you in the spirit, rejoicing to see how well ordered you are, and the
strength of your faith in Christ.
6 As you
received Christ Jesus as Lord, so walk
following him,
7 rooted and built up in him, and firm
in your faith, just as you were taught, overflowing with thankfulness.
8 Make sure that no one deceives
you through empty and deceitful philosophy, according to human tradition, from
the spiritual powers of the world, and not from Christ.
9 For in him dwells all the
fullness of the godhead bodily.
10 You are made full in him, who is
the head of every ruler and authority.
11 In him you also were circumcised,
not with a circumcision of the flesh, but the putting off the body of flesh, by
the spiritual circumcision done by Christ.
12 Having been buried with him in
baptism, you were also raised with him through your faith in the power of God,
who raised him from the dead.
13 You, being dead through your sins
and the uncircumcision of your flesh, he made you alive together with him,
having forgiven all your sins;
14 having dropped the charges
written against us, which were contrary to us.
He has taken it away by nailing it to the cross.
15 Disarming the rulers and the authorities,
he exposed them openly, triumphing over them by the cross.
16 Therefore let no one condemn you
over food or drink, or concerning the observing of a feast day, new moon or
Sabbath days.
17 These are only the shadow of the
things to come, but the reality is Christ.
18 Let no one judge you demanding
pious self-denial and the worshipping of the angels, dwelling on visions, yet
full of pride in their fleshly mind.
19 He lost connection to the head,
from whom the whole body is supported and united together through the joints
and ligaments, grows with the growth that comes from God.
20 If you died with Christ from the
elemental spirits of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you
subject yourself to regulations--
21 do not handle, taste, or touch?
22 These are all things which
perish with use, being simply human ideas and teachings.
23 While these things have an
appearance of wisdom with self-imposed worship, false humility, and severe
treatment of the body; but are not
of any true value against the indulgence of the flesh.
DASV: Colossians 3
1 So if you were raised with
Christ, seek things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of
God.
2 Set your mind on the things above,
not on things on earth,
3 for you have died, and your new
life is hidden with Christ in God.
4 When Christ, who is your life, is revealed, then you too
will be revealed in glory with him.
5 So put to death your earthly
actions: sexual immorality, impurity, ungodly passion, evil desire, and greed,
which is idolatry.
6 Because of doing these sins, the
wrath of God is coming on those who are disobedient.
7 You also did these things when
you lived among them.
8 But now strip off anger, wrath,
malice, and abusive language from your mouth.
9 Do not lie to each other, since
you have put off sinful practices reflective of that old, dead self
10 and have put on the new self,
that is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its Creator.
11 So there is no Greek or Jew,
circumcision or uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave, freeman but Christ
is all, and in all.
12 Clothe yourselves, therefore, as
God's chosen, holy and beloved, with a heart of compassion, kindness, humility,
gentleness, and patience.
13 Bear with one another, and
forgive each other. If anyone has a complaint against anyone else, as the Lord
forgave you, forgive them.
14 Above all these things clothe
yourselves with love, which unites
everything in perfect harmony.
15 Let the peace of Christ control
your hearts. For you were called as part
of one body to peace. And be thankful.
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in
you richly, teaching and exhorting one another in all wisdom with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, singing with gratitude in your hearts to
God.
17 Whatever you do, in word or in
deed, do all in the name of the Lord
Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
18 Wives, submit
to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
19 Husbands, love your wives, and
do not be harsh to them.
20 Children, obey your parents in
all things, for this pleases the Lord.
21 Fathers, do not provoke your
children, so they will not be discouraged.
22 Servants, obey your earthly
masters in everything and not only when they are watching but seek to please
them with a sincere heart, fearing the Lord.
23 Whatever you do, work at it
heartily, with enthusiasm as to the Lord, and not for men,
24 knowing that you will receive
the reward as an inheritance from the Lord.
Serve the Lord Christ.
25 For the one who does wrong will be
repaid for the wrong that he has done, and there are no exceptions.
DASV: Colossians 4
1 Masters, treat your servants justly
and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.
2 Continue
steadfastly in prayer, keeping alert in it with thanksgiving.
3 Pray for us also, that God may
open a door for the word so that we may declare the mystery of Christ, for
which I am in chains.
4 Pray that I may proclaim the
word as clearly as I should.
5 Be wise how you act toward
outsiders, making the most of every opportunity.
6 Let your speech always be gracious,
seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer everyone.
7 Tychicus, a
beloved brother, faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord, will make
known all my affairs to you.
8 I have sent him for this very
purpose, that you may know how we are doing, and that he may encourage your
hearts.
9 I am also sending Onesimus, a
faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you everything going
on here.
10 Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner,
greets you, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. You have received instructions about him; if
he comes to you, welcome him.
11 Jesus, who is called Justus,
also sends greetings. These are my only Jewish converts, fellow workers in the
kingdom of God. They have been a comfort
to me.
12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a
servant of Christ Jesus, greets you. He
earnestly prays for you, that you may stand perfect and confident in all the
will of God.
13 For I can assure you, that he
has worked hard for you, and for those in Laodicea and Hierapolis.
14 Luke, the beloved physician, and
Demas greet you.
15 Greet the brothers who are in
Laodicea and Nymphas, and the church that meets in her house.
16 After this letter has been read to
you, let it be read also by the church of the Laodiceans. You also read the letter
from Laodicea.
17 Tell Archippus, “Make sure you
complete the ministry you received in the Lord.”
18 I, Paul write this greeting with
my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.