For I would have you know how greatly 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, they being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the {Or, fulness}full assurance of understanding, that they may know the mystery of God, {The ancient authorities vary much in the text of this passage.}even Christ,
in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden.
This I say, that no one may delude you with persuasiveness of speech.
For though I am absent 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 Lord, so walk in him,
rooted and builded up in him, and established {Or, by}in your faith, even as ye were taught, abounding {Some ancient authorities insert in it.}in thanksgiving.
{Or, See whether}Take heed lest there shall be any one that maketh spoil of you through his philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the {Or, elements See Galatians 4:3 margin}rudiments of the world, and not after Christ:
for in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily,
and in him ye are made full, who is the head of all principality and power:
in whom ye were also circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the body of the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ;
having been buried with him in baptism, wherein ye were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.
And you, being dead through your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, you, I say, did he make alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses;
having blotted out {Or, the bond that was against us by its ordinances}the bond written in ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us: and he hath taken it out of the way, nailing it to the cross;
{Or, having put off from himself the principalities &c.}having despoiled the principalities and the powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a feast day or a new moon or a sabbath day:
which are a shadow of the things to come; but the body is Christ's.
Let no man rob you of your prize {Or, of his own mere will, by humility &c.}by a voluntary humility and {The Greek word denotes an act of reverence, whether paid to a creature, or to the Creator.}worshipping of the angels, {Or, taking his stand upon}dwelling in the things which he hath {Many authorities, some ancient, insert not.}seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,
and not holding fast the Head, from whom all the body, being supplied and knit together through the joints and bands, increaseth with the increase of God.
If ye died with Christ from the {Or, elements See Galatians 4:3 margin}rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, do ye subject yourselves to ordinances,
Handle not, nor taste, nor touch
(all which things are to perish with the using), after the precepts and doctrines of men?
Which things have indeed a show of wisdom in will-worship, and humility, and severity to the body; but are not of any {Or, honor}value against the indulgence of the flesh.
Querverweise zu Kolosser 2,7 Kol 2,7
if so be that ye continue in the faith, grounded and stedfast, and not moved away from the hope of the {Greek: good tidings: and so elsewhere; see marginal note on Matthew 4:23.}gospel which ye heard, which was preached in all creation under heaven; whereof I Paul was made a minister.
Every one therefore that heareth these words of mine, and doeth them, shall be likened unto a wise man, who built his house upon the rock:
if so be that ye continue in the faith, grounded and stedfast, and not moved away from the hope of the {Greek: good tidings: and so elsewhere; see marginal note on Matthew 4:23.}gospel which ye heard, which was preached in all creation under heaven; whereof I Paul was made a minister.
giving thanks unto the Father, who made {Some ancient authorities read you.}us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light;
And he shall be like a tree planted by the streams of water,That bringeth forth its fruit in its season,Whose leaf also doth not wither; {Or, in whatsoever he doeth he shall prosper}And whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon the rock.
{Some ancient authorities omit verse 25-27. Compare the end of chapter 14.}Now to him that is able to establish you according to my {See marginal note on chapter 1:1}gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which hath been kept in silence through times eternal,
who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love;
They are planted in the house of Jehovah;They shall flourish in the courts of our God.
he is like a man building a house, who digged and went deep, and laid a foundation upon the rock: and when a flood arose, the stream brake against that house, and could not shake it: {Many ancient authorities read for it had been founded upon the rock: as in Matthew 7:25.}because it had been well builded.
Wherefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not {Or, void}vain in the Lord.
And whatsoever ye do, in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them a garland for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of Jehovah, that he may be glorified.
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; so neither can ye, except ye abide in me.
Now he that establisheth us with you {Greek: into.}in Christ, and anointed us, is God;
giving thanks always for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to {Greek: the God and Father.}God, even the Father;
For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, that spreadeth out its roots by the river, and shall not {According to another reading, see.}fear when heat cometh, but its leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.
I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same beareth much fruit: for apart from me ye can do nothing.
comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.
in everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus to you-ward.
in the mountain of the height of Israel will I plant it; and it shall bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be a goodly cedar: and under it shall dwell all birds of every wing; in the shade of the branches thereof shall they dwell.
For we are God's fellow-workers: ye are God's {Greek: tilled land.}husbandry, God's building.
According to the grace of God which was given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder I laid a foundation; and another buildeth thereon. But let each man take heed how he buildeth thereon.
For other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
But if any man buildeth on the foundation gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, stubble;
each man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it is revealed in fire; {Or, and each man's work, of what sort it is, the fire shall prove it.}and the fire itself shall prove each man's work of what sort it is.
If any man's work shall abide which he built thereon, he shall receive a reward.
If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as through fire.
And the God of all grace, who called you unto his eternal glory in Christ, after that ye have suffered a little while, shall himself {Or, restore}perfect, establish, strengthen {Many ancient authorities add settle.} you.
Through him {Some ancient authorities omit then.}then let us offer up a sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of lips which make confession to his name.
And all the trees of the field shall know that I, Jehovah, have brought down the high tree, have exalted the low tree, have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree to flourish; I, Jehovah, have spoken and have done it.
being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the chief corner stone;
in whom {Greek: every building.}each several building, fitly framed together, groweth into a holy {Or, sanctuary}temple in the Lord;
in whom ye also are builded together {Greek: into.}for a habitation of God in the Spirit.
Ye therefore, beloved, knowing these things beforehand, beware lest, being carried away with the error of the wicked, ye fall from your own stedfastness.
But if some of the branches were broken off, and thou, being a wild olive, wast grafted in among them, and didst become partaker with them {Many ancient authorities read of the root and of the fatness.}of the root of the fatness of the olive tree;
unto whom coming, a living stone, rejected indeed of men, but with God elect, {Or, honorable}precious,
ye also, as living stones, are built up a {Or, a spiritual house for a holy priesthood}spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
Because it is contained in {Or, a scripture}scripture, {Isaiah 28:16}Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner stone, elect, {Or, honorable}precious:And he that believeth on {Or, it}him shall not be put to shame.
But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and {Greek: unto the day of eternity. Ecclus. 18:10}for ever. Amen.
glory not over the branches: but if thou gloriest, it is not thou that bearest the root, but the root thee.
But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,
Now unto him that is able to guard you from stumbling, and to set you before the presence of his glory without blemish in exceeding joy,
in whom {Greek: every building.}each several building, fitly framed together, groweth into a holy {Or, sanctuary}temple in the Lord;
in whom ye also are builded together {Greek: into.}for a habitation of God in the Spirit.
that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; to the end that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
These are they who are {Or, spots}hidden rocks in your love-feasts when they feast with you, shepherds that without fear feed themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;