Biblia the Byble, that is, the holy Scrypture of the Olde and New Testament, faithfully translated in to Englyshe.

The Epistle of the Apostle S. Paul to the Colossians. (Book Colossians)

The summe of this Epistle.

• Chap. I. He geueth thankes vnto God for their faith, loue, and hope: prayeth for their increase and sheweth how we are the kyngdo∣me of God, optayned by Christ, which is the heade of the congregacion.
• Chap. II. What greate care Paul toke for all congregacions. He exhorteth them to be stedfast in Christ, to bewarre of false teachers and worldly wyszdome, and descrybeth the fal¦se prophetes.
• Chap. III. He putteth them in remembraunce of the spirituall resurrecciō, to laye asyde all maner of corrupte lyuynge, to be frutefull in all godlynesse and vertue, and sheweth all de∣grees their dutye.
• Chap. IIII. He exhorteth them to be feruent in prayer, to walke wysely vnto them that are not yet come to the true knowlege of Christ, and so saluteth them.

[illustration]

The first Chapter.

PAul an Apostle of Ie∣su Christ by the will of God, and brother Ti∣motheus.

To y^e sayntes which are at Colossa and bre∣thren that beleue in Christ.

Grace be with you and peace from God oure father & frō the LORDE Iesus Christ.

* 1.1 We geue thankes vnto God and the fa¦ther of oure LORDE Iesus Christ, prayen∣ge allwayes for you (sence we herde of youre faith in Christ Iesu, and of youre loue to all sayntes) for y^e hopes sake which is layed vp in stoare for you in heauen: of the which ye haue herde before by the worde of trueth in the Gospell, which is come vnto you, euē as it is in to all the worlde: and is frutefull, as it is in you, sence y^e daye y^t ye herde and knewe the grace of God in y^e trueth, as ye learned of * 1.2 Epaphras oure deare felowe seruaunt, which is a faithfull mynister of Christ for you, which also declared vnto vs youre loue in the sprete.

* 1.3 For this cause we also, sence the daye y^t we herde of it, ceasse not to praye for you, & desyre that ye mighte be fulfylled with the knowlege of his will, in all wyszdome and spirituall vnderstondinge, that ye migh∣te walke worthy off the LORDE, to please him in all thinges,* 1.4 and to be frutefull in all good workes, and growe in the knowlege of God: & to be strengthed w^t all power acor∣dinge to the mighte of his glory, to all pa∣cience and longsufferynge with ioyfulnes, and geue thankes vnto the father, which hath made vs mete for the enheritaunce of sayntes in lighte.

Which hath delyuered vs frō the power [ B] of darknesse, & translated vs in to the kyng∣dome of his deare sonne (* 1.5 in whom we ha∣ue redempcion thorow his bloude, namely, the forgeuenes of synnes.) * 1.6 Which is the ymage of the inuisyble God, first begottē be∣fore all creatures. * 1.7 For by him were all thin¦ges created, that are in heauen and earth, thinges vysible and thinges inuysible, whe∣ther they be maiesties or lordshippes, ether rules or powers: All thinges are created by him and in him, and he is before all thinges, and in him all thinges haue their beynge.

* 1.8And he is the heade of the body, name∣ly, of the cōgregacion:* 1.9 he is the begynnyn¦ge and first begotten from the deed, that in all thinges he mighte haue the preemynen∣ce. For it pleased the father, that in him shul¦de dwell all * 1.10 fulnesse, and that by him all thinges shulde be * 1.11 reconciled vnto himsel∣fe, whether they be thinges vpon earth or in heauen, that thorow the bloude on his crosse he mighte make peace euen thorow his owne selfe. And you (which were in ty∣mes past straungers and enemies, because youre myndes were set in euell workes) hath

[ C] he now reconcyled in the body of his flesh thorow death, to make you holy, and vnbla¦meable & with out faute in his awne sighte, yf ye contynue grounded and stablished in the faith, and be not moued awaye from y^e hope of the Gospell, wherof ye haue herde: which is preached amonge all creatures y^t are vnder heauen, wherof I Paul am made a mynister.

* 1.12 Now ioye I in my sufferynges, which I suffre for you, and fulfill that which is be∣hynde of the passions of Christ in my flesh, for his bodyes sake, which is the congre∣gacion, * 1.13 wherof I am made a mynister, acordinge to y^e Godly office of preachinge, which is geuen vnto me amonge you, that I shulde richely preach the worde of God, namely,* 1.14 that mystery which hath bene hyd sence the worlde beganne, and sence the be∣gynnynge of tymes: but now is * 1.15 opened vn¦to his sayntes, to whom God wolde make knowne the glorious riches of this mistery amōge y^e Heythen: which (riches) is Christ in you, euē he that is the hope of glory, whō we preach, and warne all men, and teach all men in all wyszdome, to make euery man par¦fecte in Christ Iesu: Wherin I also laboure, and stryue acordinge to the workynge of him which worketh mightely in me.

The II. Chapter.

[ A] I Wolde ye knewe what fightinge I haue for youre sakes, and for them of Laodicea, and for as many as haue not sene my personne in the flesh, that their hertes mighte be comforted and knytt toge¦ther in loue, to all riches of full vnderstōdin¦ge,* 1.16 which is in the knowlege of the mystery of God the father and of Christ, * 1.17 in whom are hyd a••l the treasures of wyszdome and knowlege.

* 1.18This I saye, lest eny man shulde begyle you with entysinge wordes. * 1.19 For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I present with you in the sprete: ioyenge, and behol∣dinge youre order and the stedfastnes of you∣re faith in Christ. * 1.20 As ye haue therfore re∣ceaued Christ Iesu the LORDE, euen so wal¦ke in him, and be roted & buylded in him, and be stedfast in faith, as ye haue learned: & be plenteous in the same in geuynge thankes.

[ B] * 1.21Bewarre lest eny mā spoyle you thorow philosophy and disceatfull vanite after the tradicions of men, and after the ordinaūces of the worlde, and not after Christ.* 1.22 For in him dwelleth all the fulnes of the Godhea∣de bodely, and ye are complete in him, which is the heade of all rule and power: in whom also ye are circumcysed with * 1.23 circumcision without handes, by puttynge of the synfull body of the flesh: (namely) with the circum¦cysion of Christ,* 1.24 in that ye are buried with him thorow baptyme: in whom ye are also rysen agayne thorow faith, that is wrought by the operacion of God, which raysed him vp from the deed.

* 1.25And with him he quyckened you, whan ye were deed in synnes, and in the vncircum¦cision of youre flesh, and hath forgeuen vs all synnes, and put out the handwrytinge that was agaynst vs (cōtayned in the lawe wrytten) and that hath he taken out of the waye, and fastened it to the crosse: * 1.26 And hath spoyled rule and power, and hath ma∣de a shewe of them openly, and triumphed ouer them in his awne persone.

Let no man therfore trouble youre con∣sciences [ C] aboute meate or drynke, or for a pece of an holy daye, as the holy daye of y^e newe Mone, or of the Sabbath dayes, * 1.27 which are the shadowe of the thinges that were for to come: but the body selfe is in Christ. Let no man make you shote at a wronge mark, which after his owne chosynge walketh in humblenes and spiritualtye of angels, thin¦ges which he neuer sawe, and is vayne, and puft vp in his owne fleshly mynde: and hol¦deth not himselfe to the heade, wherof the whole body by ioyntes and couples recea∣ueth norishment, and is knyt together, and so groweth to the greatnes that commeth of God.

Wherfore yf ye be deed with Christ from the ordinaunces of the worlde,* 1.28 why are ye holden thē with soch tradicions, as though ye lyued after the worlde? As whan they saye: Touch not this, taist not that, handle not that. All these thinges do hurte vnto men, because of the abuse of them, which abuse commeth onely of the commaunde∣mentes and doctrynes of men:* 1.29 which thin∣ges haue a shyne of wyszdome thorow cho∣sen spiritualtie and humblenes, and in that they spare not the body; and do the flesh no worshipe vnto his nede.

The III. Chapter.

YF ye be rysen now with Christ, seke [ A] those thinges then which are aboue where Christ is, syttinge on the righ∣te hande of God. Set youre mynde on the thinges which are aboue, not on y^e thinge•• that are vpon earth. For ye are deed, * 〈◊〉〈◊〉 youre life is hyd with Christ in God. * 〈◊〉〈◊〉 whan Christ o^r life shal shewe himselfe, thē shal ye also appeare with him in glory.

* 1.30 Mortifye therfore youre mēbres which are vpon earth, whordome, vnclennes, vnna¦turall lust, euell concupiscēce, and couetous∣nes, which is a worshippynge of Idols: * 1.31 for which thinges sakes the wrath of God commeth vpon the children of vnbeleue: * 1.32 in the which thinges ye walked some tyme, whan ye lyued in them.

* 1.33 But now put all awaye frō you: wrath, fearcenesse, maliciousnes, cursed speakynge, fylthie wordes out of youre mouth. Lye not one to another.* 1.34 Put of y^e olde mā with his workes, and put on y^e newe, which is renued in knowlege after y^e ymage of him that ma¦de him:* 1.35 where there is no Greke, Iewe, cir¦cumcision, vncircumcision, Barbarous, Si¦thian, bōde, fre: but Christ is all and in all.

[ B] Now therfore as the electe of God, holy and beloued, put on tender mercye, kyndnes, humblenes of mynde, mekenesse, longe suffe∣rynge, forbearinge one another, and forge∣nynge one another, yf eny man haue a qua∣rell agaynst another. Like as Christ hath forgeuen you, euen so do ye also. But aboue all thinges put on loue, which is the bonde of perfectnesse. And the peace of God rule in youre hertes, to the which (peace) ye are called also in one body: and se y^t ye be than∣full.

Let y^e worde of Christ dwell in you plen∣teously in all wyszdome.* 1.36 Teach and exhorte youre awne selues with psalmes and ymnes, and spirituall songes which haue fauoure with them, synginge in youre hertes to the LORDE. * 1.37 And what soeuer ye do in worde or worke, do all in the name of the LORDE Iesu, * 1.38 and geue thankes vnto God the fa∣ther by him.

[ C] * 1.39 Ye wyues, submytte youre selues vnto youre huszbandes, as it is comly in the LOR¦DE.

Ye huszbandes, loue youre wyues, and be not bytter vnto them.

* 1.40 Ye children, obeye youre elders in all thinges, for that is well pleasynge vnto the LORDE.

Ye fathers, rate not yo^r children, lest they be of a desperate mynde.

* 1.41Ye seruauntes, be obedient vnto youre bodely masters in all thinges, not with eye seruyce as men pleasers, but in synglenes of ••ert, fearinge God. What so euer ye do, do it ••••rtely, euen as vnto the LORDE and not 〈…〉〈…〉. And be sure, that of the LORDE 〈…〉〈…〉 the rewarde of y^e enheritaun¦•••• 〈…〉〈…〉 LORDE Christ. But he that doth 〈◊〉〈◊〉, shal receaue for the wron¦ge that he hath done,* 1.42 for there is no respec¦te of persons (with God.)

* 1.43 Ye masters, do vnto youre seruauntes that which is iust and equall, and knowe, y^t ye also haue a master in heauen.

The IIII. Chapter.

COntynue in prayer, and watch in the [ A] same with thankesgeuynge,* 1.44 and praye also together for vs, that God open vnto vs the dore of the worde, to speake the mystery of Christ (wherfore I am also in bō¦des) that I maye vtter y^e same, as it becom¦meth me to speake. * 1.45 Walke wysely towarde them that are without, and redeme y^e tyme. Let youre speach be allwaye fauorable, sea∣soned with * 1.46 salt, that ye maye knowe how to answere euery man.

Tichicus the deare brother and faithfull mynister & felowe seruaūt in y^e LORDE, shal tell you what case I am in. Whom I haue sent vnto you for the same purpose, that he mighte knowe how ye do, & that he mighte comforte youre hertes, with one * 1.47 Onesimus a faithfull and beloued brother, which is one of you: they shal shewe you of all thin∣ges, which are adoynge here * 1.48 Aristarchus my preson felowe saluteth you, and * 1.49 Mar∣cus Barnabasses sisters sonne, touchinge whom ye receaued commaundementes: Yf he come vnto you, receaue him, and Iesus, which is called Iustus, which are of the cir¦cumcision. These onely are my helpers in the kyngdome of God, which were to my conso¦lacion.

* 1.50 Epaphras a seruaunt of Christ, which [ B] is one of you, saluteth you, & allwaye labou∣reth feruently for you in prayers, y^t ye maye stonde perfecte and full, in all that is the wil of God. I beare him recorde, that he hath a feruent mynde for you, and for thē at Lao¦dicea, and at Hierapolis. Deare Lucas the Phisician saluteth you, and so doth * 1.51 Demas. Salute the brethrē, which are at Laodicea, and salute Nymphas, and the cōgregacion which is in his house. And whan the epistle is red of you, cause it to be red also in the cō∣gregaciō at Laodicea, & that ye likewyse rea¦de the epistle of Laodicea. And saye to Ar∣chippus: Take hede to the office which thou hast receaued in the LORDE, that thou ful∣fyll it. My salutacion with the hnade of me Paul. Remembre my bōdes.* 1.52 Grace be with you, Amen.

Sent from Rome by Tichicus and Onesimus.

Notes

• * 1.1

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  〈◊〉〈◊〉▪ 11. c
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  〈◊〉〈◊〉. 3. a 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 3. a
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  〈◊〉〈◊〉. 3. a 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 3. a
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  〈◊〉〈◊〉. 3. c
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  Rom. 2. •• Phil. 3. a
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  Rom. 6. a
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  Rom. 5. a Ephe. ••. a Col. 1. b
• * 1.26

  Gen. 3. c Luc. 11. c Ioh. 12. d
• * 1.27

  Heb. 8. a 8. b. 10. a
• * 1.28

  Gal. 4. a
• * 1.29

  1. Tim. 4. f
• * 1.30

  Ephe. 5. a
• * 1.31

  Gen 6.19 1. Cor. 10. a
• * 1.32

  Ephe. 3. a
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  Rom. 6. a Ephe. 4. c
• * 1.34

  Rom. 13. b
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  Gal. 6. b
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  Ephe. 5. b
• * 1.37

  1. Cor. 10. d
• * 1.38

  Ephe. 5. b
• * 1.39

  Ephe. 5. c 1. Pet. 3. a
• * 1.40

  Ephe. 6. a
• * 1.41

  ••phe. 6. a ••it. 2. b ••. Pet. 2. c
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