Letters to the Churches

For by him were all things created, which are in heauen, and which are in earth, thinges visible and inuisible: whether they be Thrones or Dominions, or Principalities, or Powers, all things were created by him, and for him,

And hee is before all things, and in him all things consist.

And hee is the head of the body of the Church: he is the beginning, and the first begotten of the dead, that in all thinges hee might haue the preeminence.

For it pleased the Father, that in him should all fulnesse dwell,

And through peace made by that blood of that his crosse, to reconcile to himselfe through him, through him, I say, all thinges, both which are in earth, and which are in heauen.

And you which were in times past strangers and enemies, because your mindes were set in euill workes, hath he nowe also reconciled,

In that body of his flesh through death, to make you holy, and vnblameable and without fault in his sight,

If ye continue, grounded and stablished in the faith, and be not moued away from the hope of the Gospel, whereof ye haue heard, and which hath bene preached to euery creature which is vnder heauen, whereof I Paul am a minister.

Now reioyce I in my suffrings for you, and fulfill the rest of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh, for his bodies sake, which is the Church,

Whereof I am a minister, according to the dispensation of God, which is giuen mee vnto you ward, to fulfill the word of God,

Which is the mysterie hid since the world began, and from all ages, but nowe is made manifest to his Saintes,

To whome God woulde make knowen what is the riches of his glorious mysterie among the Gentiles, which riches is Christ in you, the hope of glory,

Whome we preache, admonishing euery man, and teaching euery man in all wisdome, that we may present euery man perfect in Christ Iesus,

Whereunto I also labour and striue, according to his working which worketh in me mightily.

For I woulde ye knewe what great fighting I haue for your sakes, and for them of Laodicea, and for as many as haue not seene my person in the flesh,

That their heartes might be comforted, and they knit together in loue, and in all riches of the full assurance of vnderstanding, to know the mysterie of God, euen the Father, and of Christ:

In whom are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge.

And this I say, lest any man shoulde beguile you with entising wordes:

For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, reioycing and beholding your order, and your stedfast faith in Christ.

As ye haue therefore receiued Christ Iesus the Lord, so walke in him,

Rooted and built in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye haue bene taught, abouding therein with thankesgiuing.

Beware lest there be any man that spoile you through philosophie, and vaine deceit, through the traditions of men, according to the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

For in him dwelleth all the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily.

And yee are complete in him, which is the head of all principalitie and power.

In whome also yee are circumcised with circumcision made without handes, by putting off the sinfull body of the flesh, through the circumcision of Christ,