In the same way the Lord commanded those who proclaim the gospel to receive their living by the gospel.

To those free from the law I became like one free from the law (though I am not free from God’s law but under the law of Christ) to gain those free from the law.

But God was not pleased with most of them, for they were cut down in the wilderness.

But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing,

Just as it is written, “He has scattered widely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness remains forever.”

Now those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

This power he exercised in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms

even though we were dead in transgressions, made us alive together with Christ – by grace you are saved! –

Therefore it says, “When he ascended on high he captured captives; he gave gifts to men.”

But as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.

The whole imperial guard and everyone else knows that I am in prison for the sake of Christ,

The former proclaim Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, because they think they can cause trouble for me in my imprisonment.

Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself to have attained this. Instead I am single-minded: Forgetting the things that are behind and reaching out for the things that are ahead,

to the saints, the faithful brothers and sisters in Christ, at Colossae. Grace and peace to you from God our Father!

that is, the mystery that has been kept hidden from ages and generations, but has now been revealed to his saints.

Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is pleasing in the Lord.

As a result you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia.

You are witnesses, and so is God, as to how holy and righteous and blameless our conduct was toward you who believe.

to be self-controlled, pure, fulfilling their duties at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the message of God may not be discredited.

I wanted to keep him so that he could serve me in your place during my imprisonment for the sake of the gospel.