Letters to the Churches

for in him were all things created, in the heavens and upon the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been created through him, and unto him;

and he is before all things, and in him all things consist.

And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

For it was the good pleasure of the Father that in him should all the fulness dwell;

and through him to reconcile all things unto himself, having made peace through the blood of his cross; through him, I say, whether things upon the earth, or things in the heavens.

And you, being in time past alienated and enemies in your mind in your evil works,

yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and without blemish and unreproveable before him:

if so be that ye continue in the faith, grounded and stedfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel which ye heard, which was preached in all creation under heaven; whereof I Paul was made a minister.

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and fill up on my part that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church;

whereof I was made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which was given me to you-ward, to fulfil the word of God,

even the mystery which hath been hid for ages and generations: but now hath it been manifested to his saints,

to whom God was pleased to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

whom we proclaim, admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ;

whereunto I labor also, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

For I would have you know how greatly I strive for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;

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

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

This I say, that no one may delude you with persuasiveness of speech.

For though I am absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ.

As therefore ye received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him,

rooted and builded up in him, and established in your faith, even as ye were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

Take heed lest there shall be any one that maketh spoil of you through his philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ:

for in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily,

and in him ye are made full, who is the head of all principality and power:

in whom ye 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;