He has not held fast ¹  to the head from whom the whole body, supported ²  and knit together through its ligaments and sinews, grows with a growth that is from God. ³ 

He delivered us from the power of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of the Son he loves, ¹ 

because you know that you will receive your ¹  inheritance ²  from the Lord as the reward. Serve ³  the Lord Christ.

You learned the gospel ¹  from Epaphras, our dear fellow slave ²  – a ³  faithful minister of Christ on our ⁴  behalf –

From Paul, ¹  an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,

But now, put off all such things ¹  as anger, rage, malice, slander, abusive language from your mouth.

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

Having been buried with him in baptism, you also have been raised with him through your ¹  faith in the power ²  of God who raised him from the dead.

to the saints, the faithful ¹  brothers and sisters ²  in Christ, at Colossae. Grace and peace to you ³  from God our Father! ⁴ 

And after ¹  you have read this letter, have it read ²  to the church of Laodicea. In turn, read the letter from Laodicea ³  as well.

He is the head of the body, the church, as well as the beginning, the firstborn ¹  from among the dead, so that he himself may become first in all things. ² 

I became a servant of the church according to the stewardship ¹  from God – given to me for you – in order to complete ²  the word of God,

Your faith and love have arisen ¹  from the hope laid up ²  for you in heaven, which you have heard about in the message of truth, the gospel ³ 

if indeed you remain in the faith, established and firm, ¹  without shifting ²  from the hope of the gospel that you heard. This gospel has also been preached in all creation under heaven, and I, Paul, have become its servant.

For this reason we also, from the day we heard about you, ¹  have not ceased praying for you and asking God ²  to fill ³  you with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,

For though ¹  I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit, rejoicing to see ²  your morale ³  and the firmness of your faith in Christ.

that has come to you. Just as in the entire world this gospel ¹  is bearing fruit and growing, so it has also been bearing fruit and growing ²  among you from the first day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth.

And you were at one time strangers and enemies in your ¹  minds ²  as expressed through ³  your evil deeds,

If you have died with Christ to the elemental spirits ¹  of the world, why do you submit to them as though you lived in the world?

Be careful not to allow anyone to captivate you ¹  through an empty, deceitful philosophy ²  that is according to human traditions and the elemental spirits ³  of the world, and not according to Christ.