ⲔⲞⲖⲀⲤⲤⲒⲀⲤ 1
From Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus, by the will of God, and from Timothy, also a follower of the Lord.
2 ⲃ̅ ⲉⲩⲥϩⲁⲓ ⲛⲛⲉⲥⲛⲏⲩ ⲉⲧⲟⲩⲁⲁⲃ ⲉⲧϩⲛ ⲕⲟⲗⲟⲥⲥⲁ ⲙⲡⲓⲥⲧⲟⲥ ϩⲙ ⲡⲉⲭⲥ ⲧⲉⲭⲁⲣⲓⲥ ⲛⲏⲧⲛ ⲙⲛ ϯⲣⲏⲛⲏ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲓⲧⲙ ⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲡⲉⲛⲉⲓⲱⲧ
To Christ’s people at Colossae – the followers who are faithful to him: May God, our Father, bless you and give you peace.
Whenever we pray we never fail to thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for you,
now that we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all his people,
because of the hope which is kept safe for you in heaven. Of this hope you heard long ago in the true message of the good news which reached you,
6 ⲋ̅ ⲡⲁⲓ ⲉⲧⲛϩⲏⲧ ⲧⲏⲩⲧⲛ ⲕⲁⲧⲁ ⲑⲉ ⲉⲧϥϩⲙ ⲡⲕⲟⲥⲙⲟⲥ ⲧⲏⲣϥ ⲉϥϯ ⲕⲁⲣⲡⲟⲥ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲉϥⲁⲩⲝⲁⲛⲉ ⲕⲁⲧⲁ ⲑⲉ ⲟⲛ ⲛϩⲏⲧ ⲧⲏⲩⲧⲛ ϫⲓⲛ ⲡⲉϩⲟⲟⲩ ⲉⲛⲧⲁⲧⲉⲧⲛⲥⲱⲧⲙ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲁⲧⲉⲧⲛⲉⲓⲙⲉ ⲉⲧⲉⲭⲁⲣⲓⲥ ⲙⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ϩⲛ ⲟⲩⲙⲉ
bearing fruit and growing, as it does, through all the world, just as it did among you from the very day that you heard of God’s loving kindness, and understood what that loving kindness really is.
7 ⲍ̅ ⲕⲁⲧⲁ ⲑⲉ ⲉⲛⲧⲁⲧⲉⲧⲛⲉⲓⲙⲉ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲓⲧⲟⲟⲧϥ ⲛⲉⲡⲁⲫⲣⲁ ⲡⲙⲉⲣⲓⲧ ⲡⲉⲛϣⲃⲣ ϩⲙϩⲁⲗ ⲡⲁⲓ ⲉⲩⲡⲓⲥⲧⲟⲥ ϩⲁⲣⲱⲧⲛ ⲡⲉ ⲛⲇⲓⲁⲕⲟⲛⲟⲥ ⲙⲡⲉⲭⲥ
It is just what you learned from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who, as a minister of the Christ, faithfully represents us,
and who told us of the love with which the Spirit has inspired you.
9 ⲑ̅ ⲉⲧⲃⲉ ⲡⲁⲓ ϩⲱⲱⲛ ϫⲓⲛ ⲡⲉϩⲟⲟⲩ ⲉⲛⲧⲁⲛⲥⲱⲧⲙ ⲛⲧⲛⲗⲟ ⲁⲛ ⲉⲛϣⲗⲏⲗ ϩⲁⲣⲱⲧⲛ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲉⲛⲧⲱⲃϩ ϫⲉⲕⲁⲥ ⲉⲧⲉⲧⲛⲉϫⲱⲕ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲙⲡⲥⲟⲟⲩⲛ ⲙⲡⲉϥⲟⲩⲱϣ ⲉⲧⲣⲉⲧⲛⲙⲟⲟϣⲉ ϩⲛ ⲥⲟⲫⲓⲁ ⲛⲓⲙ ⲙⲛ ⲧⲙⲛⲧⲣⲙⲛϩⲏⲧ ⲙⲡⲛⲁⲧⲓⲕⲟⲛ
And therefore we, from the very day that we heard this, have never ceased praying for you, or asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of the will of God, which comes through all true spiritual wisdom and insight.
10 ⲓ̅ ⲉⲙⲟⲟϣⲉ ϩⲙ ⲡⲉⲙⲡϣⲁ ⲙⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲉⲡⲉⲧⲣⲁⲛⲁϥ ⲧⲏⲣϥ ⲉⲧⲉⲧⲛϯ ⲕⲁⲣⲡⲟⲥ ϩⲛ ϩⲱⲃ ⲛⲓⲙ ⲛⲁⲅⲁⲑⲟⲛ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲉⲧⲉⲧⲛⲁⲩⲝⲁⲛⲉ ϩⲙ ⲡⲥⲟⲟⲩⲛ ⲙⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ
Then you will live lives worthy of the Master, and so please God in every way. Your lives will be fruitful in every kind of good action, and grow into a fuller knowledge of God;
you will be made strong at all points with a strength worthy of the power manifested in his glory – strong to endure with patience, and even with gladness, whatever may happen to you;
12 ⲓ̅ⲃ̅ ⲉⲧⲉⲧⲛϣⲡϩⲙⲟⲧ ⲛⲧⲙⲡⲉⲓⲱⲧ ϩⲛ ⲟⲩⲣⲁϣⲉ ⲡⲁⲓ ⲉⲛⲧⲁϥⲧⲉϩⲙ ⲧⲏⲩⲧⲛ ⲉϩⲟⲩⲛ ⲉⲧⲙⲉⲣⲓⲥ ⲙⲡⲉⲕⲗⲏⲣⲟⲥ ⲛⲛⲉⲧⲟⲩⲁⲁⲃ ϩⲙ ⲡⲟⲩⲟⲉⲓⲛ
and you will give thanks to the Father who made you fit to share the lot which awaits Christ’s people in the realms of light.
For God has rescued us from the tyranny of darkness, and has removed us into the kingdom of his Son, who is the embodiment of his love,
and through whom we have found deliverance in the forgiveness of our sins.
For Christ is the incarnation of the invisible God – firstborn and head of all creation;
16 ⲓ̅ⲋ̅ ϫⲉ ϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲛϩⲏⲧϥ ⲛⲧⲁⲩⲥⲛⲧ ⲡⲧⲏⲣϥ ⲛⲉⲧϩⲛ ⲙⲡⲏⲩⲉ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲛⲉⲧϩⲓϫⲙ ⲡⲕⲁϩ ⲛⲉⲧⲛⲛⲁⲩ ⲉⲣⲟⲟⲩ ⲙⲛ ⲛⲉⲧⲛⲧⲛⲛⲁⲩ ⲉⲣⲟⲟⲩ ⲁⲛ ⲉⲓⲧⲉ ⲛⲉⲑⲣⲟⲛⲟⲥ ⲉⲓⲧⲉ ⲙⲙⲛⲧϫⲟⲉⲓⲥ ⲉⲓⲧⲉ ⲛⲁⲣⲭⲏ ⲉⲓⲧⲉ ⲛⲉⲝⲟⲩⲥⲓⲁ ⲛⲧⲁⲡⲧⲏⲣϥ ϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲓⲧⲟⲟⲧϥ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲛⲧⲁⲩⲥⲟⲛⲧⲟⲩ ⲉⲣⲟϥ
for in him was created all that is in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible – angels and archangels and all the powers of heaven.
All has been created through him and for him. He was before all things, and all things unite in him;
18 ⲓ̅ⲏ̅ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲛⲧⲟϥ ⲡⲉ ⲧⲁⲡⲉ ⲙⲡⲥⲱⲙⲁ ⲛⲧⲉⲕⲕⲗⲏⲥⲓⲁ ⲉⲧⲉ ⲡⲁⲓ ⲡⲉ ⲧⲁⲣⲭⲏ ⲡϣⲣⲡ ⲙⲙⲓⲥⲉ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲛ ⲛⲉⲧⲙⲟⲟⲩⲧ ϫⲉⲕⲁⲥ ⲉϥⲉϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲉϥⲟ ⲛϣⲟⲣⲡ ⲛϩⲏⲧⲟⲩ ⲧⲏⲣⲟⲩ
and he is the head of the church, which is his body. The firstborn from the dead, he is to the church the source of its life, that he, in all things, may stand first.
For it pleased the Father that in him the divine nature in all its fulness should live,
20 ⲕ̅ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲓⲧⲟⲟⲧϥ ⲉϩⲉⲧⲡ ⲡⲧⲏⲣϥ ⲉⲣⲟϥ ⲉⲁϥⲁⲁⲩ ⲛⲉⲓⲣⲏⲛⲏ ϩⲓⲧⲙ ⲡⲉⲥⲛⲟϥ ⲙⲡⲉⲥⲧⲁⲩⲣⲟⲥ ⲉⲓⲧⲉ ⲛⲉⲧϩⲓϫⲙ ⲡⲕⲁϩ ⲉⲓⲧⲉ ⲛⲉⲧϩⲛ ⲙⲡⲏⲩⲉ
and through him to reconcile all things to himself (making peace by the shedding of Christ’s blood offered on the cross) – whether on earth or in heaven.
And it pleased God that you, once estranged from him and hostile towards him in your thoughts, intent only on wickedness –
22 ⲕ̅ⲃ̅ ⲧⲉⲛⲟⲩ ⲇⲉ ⲁϥϩⲉⲧⲡ ⲧⲏⲩⲧⲛ ϩⲙ ⲡⲥⲱⲙⲁ ⲛⲧⲉϥⲥⲁⲣⲝ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲓⲧⲙ ⲡⲉϥⲙⲟⲩ ⲉⲡⲁⲣϩⲓⲥⲧⲁ ⲙⲙⲱⲧⲛ ⲉⲧⲉⲧⲛⲟⲩⲁⲁⲃ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲛⲁⲧⲧⲱⲗⲙ ⲉⲙⲛ ⲛⲟⲃⲉ ϫⲓ ⲉϩⲟⲩⲛ ⲉⲣⲱⲧⲛ ⲙⲡⲉϥⲙⲧⲟ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ
but now he has reconciled you to himself by the sacrifice of Christ’s earthly body in death – it has pleased God that you should stand in his presence holy, pure, and blameless,
23 ⲕ̅ⲅ̅ ⲉϣϫⲉ ⲧⲉⲧⲛⲁⲙⲟⲩⲛ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲛ ⲧⲡⲓⲥⲧⲓⲥ ⲉⲧⲉⲧⲛϫⲉ ⲥⲛⲧⲉ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲉⲧⲉⲧⲛⲧⲁϫⲣⲏⲩ ⲉⲛⲥⲉⲡⲱⲱⲛⲉ ⲙⲙⲱⲧⲛ ⲁⲛ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲛ ⲑⲉⲗⲡⲓⲥ ⲙⲡⲉⲩⲁⲅⲅⲉⲗⲓⲟⲛ ⲡⲁⲓ ⲉⲛⲧⲁⲧⲉⲧⲛⲥⲟⲧⲙⲉϥ ⲉⲛⲧⲁⲩⲧⲁϣⲉⲟⲉⲓϣ ⲙⲙⲟϥ ϩⲙ ⲡⲥⲱⲛⲧ ⲧⲏⲣϥ ⲉⲧϩⲁⲧⲡⲉ ⲡⲁⲓ ⲉⲛⲧⲁⲓϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲛⲁϥ ⲁⲛⲟⲕ ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ ⲛⲕⲏⲣⲩⲝ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲛⲇⲓⲁⲕⲟⲛⲟⲥ
if only you remain true to your faith, firm and immovable, never abandoning the hope held out in the good news to which you listened, which has been proclaimed among all created things under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made an assistant.
24 ⲕ̅ⲇ̅ ⲧⲉⲛⲟⲩ ϯⲣⲁϣⲉ ϩⲛ ⲛⲁⲙⲕⲟⲟϩ ϩⲁⲣⲱⲧⲛ ⲁⲩⲉ ⲉⲓϫⲱⲕ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲙⲡⲥⲉⲉⲡⲉ ⲛⲛⲉⲑⲗⲓⲯⲓⲥ ⲙⲡⲉⲭⲥ ϩⲛ ⲧⲁⲥⲁⲣⲝ ϩⲁ ⲡⲉϥⲥⲱⲙⲁ ⲉⲧⲉ ⲡⲁⲓ ⲡⲉ ⲧⲉⲕⲕⲗⲏⲥⲓⲁ
Now at last I can rejoice in my sufferings on your behalf, and in my own person I supplement the afflictions endured by the Christ, for the sake of his body, the church;
25 ⲕ̅ⲉ̅ ⲧⲁⲓ ⲉⲛⲧⲁⲓϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲛⲁⲥ ⲛⲇⲓⲁⲕⲟⲛⲟⲥ ⲕⲁⲧⲁ ⲧⲟⲓⲕⲟⲛⲟⲙⲓⲁ ⲙⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲉⲛⲧⲁϥⲧⲁⲁⲥ ⲛⲁⲓ ⲉϩⲟⲩⲛ ⲉⲣⲱⲧⲛ ⲉⲧⲣⲁϫⲱⲕ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲙⲡϣⲁϫⲉ ⲙⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ
of which I myself became a minister in virtue of the office with which God entrusted me for your benefit, to declare the message of God in all its fulness –
that truth which has been hidden from former ages and generations. But now it has been revealed to God’s people, (aiōn g165)
27 ⲕ̅ⲍ̅ ⲛⲁⲓ ⲉⲛⲧⲁ ⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲟⲩⲱϣ ⲉⲧⲁⲙⲟⲟⲩ ϫⲉ ⲟⲩ ⲧⲉ ⲧⲙⲛⲧⲣⲙⲙⲁⲟ ⲙⲡⲉⲟⲟⲩ ⲙⲡⲉⲓⲙⲩⲥⲧⲏⲣⲓⲟⲛ ϩⲛ ⲛϩⲉⲑⲛⲟⲥ ⲉⲧⲉ ⲡⲁⲓ ⲡⲉ ⲡⲉⲭⲥ ⲛϩⲏⲧⲧⲏⲩⲧⲛ ⲑⲉⲗⲡⲓⲥ ⲙⲡⲉⲟⲟⲩ
to whom it was his pleasure to make known the surpassing glory of that hidden truth when proclaimed among the Gentiles – ‘Christ among you! Your hope of glory!’
28 ⲕ̅ⲏ̅ ⲡⲁⲓ ⲁⲛⲟⲛ ⲉⲧⲛⲧⲁϣⲉⲟⲉⲓϣ ⲙⲙⲟϥ ⲉⲛϯ ⲥⲃⲱ ⲛⲡⲱⲙⲉ ⲛⲓⲙ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲉⲛⲧⲥⲁⲃⲟ ⲙⲙⲟⲟⲩ ϩⲛ ⲥⲟⲫⲓⲁ ⲛⲓⲙ ϫⲉ ⲉⲛⲉⲧⲁϩⲉ ⲣⲱⲙⲉ ⲛⲓⲙ ⲉⲣⲁⲧϥ ⲛⲧⲉⲗⲓⲟⲥ ϩⲙ ⲡⲉⲭⲥ ⲓⲏⲥ
This is the Christ whom we proclaim, warning everyone, and instructing everyone, with all the wisdom that we possess, in the hope of bringing everyone into God’s presence perfected by union with Christ.
It is for that I toil, struggling with all the energy which he inspires and which works powerfully within me.
