Day 280 of 365

¹For I desire to have you know how greatly I struggle for you, and for those at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;

²that their hearts may be comforted, they being knit together in love, and gaining all riches of the full assurance of understanding, that they may know the mystery of God, which is Christ,

³in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden.

⁴Now this I say that no one may delude you with persuasiveness of speech.

⁵For though I am absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, rejoicing and seeing your order, and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.

⁶As therefore you received Christ Jesus, the Lord, walk in him,

⁷rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, even as you were taught, abounding in it in thanksgiving.

⁸Be careful that you do not let anyone rob you through his philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the elements of the world, and not after Christ.

⁹For in him all the fullness of God's nature dwells bodily,

¹⁰and in him you are made full, who is the head of all principality and power;

¹¹in whom you 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;

¹²having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.

¹³You were dead through your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh. He made you alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,

¹⁴wiping out the handwriting in ordinances which was against us; and he has taken it out of the way, nailing it to the cross;

¹⁵having stripped the principalities and the powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

¹⁶Let no man therefore judge you in eating, or in drinking, or with respect to a feast day or a new moon or a Sabbath day,

¹⁷which are a shadow of the things to come; but the body is Christ's.

¹⁸Let no one rob you of your prize by a voluntary humility and worshipping of the angels, dwelling in the things which he has seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,

¹⁹and not holding firmly to the Head, from whom all the body, being supplied and knit together through the joints and ligaments, grows with God's growth.

²⁰If you died with Christ from the elements of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to ordinances,

²¹"Do not handle, nor taste, nor touch"

²²(all of which perish with use), according to the precepts and doctrines of men?

²³Which things indeed appear like wisdom in self-imposed worship, and humility, and severity to the body; but are not of any value against the indulgence of the flesh.

¹If then you were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God.

²Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are on the earth.

³For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

⁴When Christ, your life, is revealed, then you will also be revealed with him in glory.

⁵Put to death, therefore, whatever is worldly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry;

⁶for which things' sake the wrath of God comes on the children of disobedience.

⁷You also once walked in those, when you lived in them;

⁸but now you also put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and shameful speaking out of your mouth.

⁹Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old man with his doings,

¹⁰and have put on the new man, who is being renewed in knowledge after the image of his Creator,

¹¹where there cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bondservant, freeman; but Christ is all, and in all.

¹²Put on therefore, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, humility, and perseverance;

¹³bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as the Lord forgave you, so you also do.

¹⁴Above all these things, walk in love, which is the bond of perfection.

¹⁵And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.

¹⁶Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your heart to God.

¹⁷Whatever you do, in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father, through him.

¹⁸Wives, be in subjection to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.

¹⁹Husbands, love your wives, and do not be bitter against them.

²⁰Children, obey your parents in all things, for this pleases the Lord.

²¹Fathers, do not provoke your children, so that they won't be discouraged.

²²Servants, obey in all things those who are your masters according to the flesh, not just when they are looking, as men pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing the Lord.

²³And whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord, and not for men,

²⁴knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.

²⁵But he who does wrong will receive again for the wrong that he has done, and there is no partiality.

¹Masters, give to your servants that which is just and equal, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.

²Continue steadfastly in prayer, watching therein with thanksgiving;

³praying together for us also, that God may open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds;

⁴that I may reveal it as I ought to speak.

⁵Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time.

⁶Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.

⁷All my affairs will be made known to you by Tychicus, the beloved brother, faithful servant, and fellow bondservant in the Lord.

⁸I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that you may know our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts,

⁹together with Onesimus, the faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will make known to you everything that is going on here.

¹⁰Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner greets you, and Mark, the cousin of Barnabas (concerning whom you received commandments, "if he comes to you, receive him"),

¹¹and Jesus who is called Justus, who are of the circumcision. These are my only fellow workers for the Kingdom of God, men who have been a comfort to me.

¹²Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, salutes you, always striving for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God.

¹³For I testify about him, that he has worked hard for you, and for those in Laodicea, and for those in Hierapolis.

¹⁴Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas greet you.

¹⁵Greet the brothers who are in Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church that is in her house.

¹⁶When this letter has been read among you, cause it to be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that you also read the letter from Laodicea.

¹⁷Tell Archippus, "Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you fulfill it."

¹⁸The salutation of me, Paul, with my own hand: remember my bonds. Grace be with you.

¹Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon, our beloved fellow worker,

²and to Apphia our sister, to Archippus, our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house:

³Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

⁴I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers,

⁵hearing of your love, and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all the saints;

⁶that the fellowship of your faith may become effective, in the knowledge of every good thing which is in us in Christ.

⁷For I have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.

⁸Therefore, though I have all boldness in Christ to command you that which is appropriate,

⁹yet for love's sake I rather beg, being such a one as Paul, the aged, but also a prisoner of Jesus Christ.

¹⁰I beg you for my child, whom I have become the father of in my chains, Onesimus,

¹¹who once was useless to you, but now is useful to you and to me.

¹²I am sending back to you, him who is my very heart,

¹³whom I desired to keep with me, that on your behalf he might serve me in my chains for the Good News.

¹⁴But I was willing to do nothing without your consent, that your goodness would not be as of necessity, but of free will.

¹⁵For perhaps he was therefore separated from you for a while, that you would have him forever,

¹⁶no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother, especially to me, but how much rather to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.

¹⁷If then you count me a partner, receive him as you would receive me.

¹⁸But if he has wronged you at all, or owes you anything, put that to my account.

¹⁹I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it (not to mention to you that you owe to me even your own self besides).

²⁰Yes, brother, let me have joy from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ.

²¹Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even beyond what I say.

²²Also, prepare a guest room for me, for I hope that through your prayers I will be restored to you.

²³Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you,

²⁴as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.

²⁵The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.