,this e,book was produced by ,david     
,widger  from etext #aeha prepared by   
,dennis ,mc,carthy1 ,atlanta1 ,georgia  
and ,tad ,book1 student1 ,pontifical    
,north ,american ,college1 ,rome4       
,,the ,,holy ,,bible                    
,translated from the ,latin ,vulgate    
,diligently ,compared with the ,hebrew1 
,greek1  and ,other ,editions in ,divers
 ,languages      ,,the ,,old ,,testament
  ,first ,published by the ,english     
,college at ,douay  ,a4,d4 #afji  #afaj 
and    ,,the ,,new ,,testament  ,first  
,published by the ,english ,college at  
,rheims  ,a4,d4 #aehb      ,with        
,annotations      ,the ,whole ,revised  
and ,diligently ,compared with  the     
,latin ,vulgate by ,bishop ,richard     
,challoner  ,a4,d4 #agdi-ageb           
,,the ,,epistle ,,of ,,st4 ,,paul ,,to  
,,the ,,colossians    ,colossa was a    
city of ,phrygia1 near ,laodicea4 ,it   
does not appear that  ,st4 ,paul had    
preached there himself1 but that the    
,colossians were  converted by          

,epaphras1 a disciple of the ,apostles4 
,however1 as ,st4 ,paul  was the great  
,apostle of the ,gentiles1 he wrote this
 ,epistle to the  ,colossians when he   
was in prison1 and about the same time  
that he wrote  to the ,ephesians and    
,philippians4 ,the exhortations and     
doctrine it  contains are similar to    
that which is set forth in his ,epistle 
to the  ,ephesians4      ,colossians    
,chapter #a    ,he gives thanks for the 
grace bestowed upon the ,colossians and 
prays for  them4 ,christ is the head of 
the church and the peacemaker through   
his  blood4 ,paul is his minister4      
#a3a4 ,paul1 an apostle of ,jesus       
,christ1 by the will of ,god1 and       
,timothy1  a brother3    #a3b4 ,to the  
saints and faithful brethren in ,christ 
,jesus who are at  ,colossa4    #a3c4   
,grace be to you and peace1 from ,god   
our ,father and from the ,lord  ,jesus  
,christ4 ,we give thanks to ,god and the
 ,father of our ,lord ,jesus  ,christ1  
praying always for you4    #a3d4        

,hearing your faith in ,christ ,jesus   
and the love which you have  towards all
 the saints4    #a3e4 ,for the hope that
 is laid up for you in heaven1 which you
 have  heard in the word of the truth of
 the gospel1    #a3f4 ,which is come    
unto you1 as also it is in the whole    
world and  bringeth forth fruit and     
groweth1 even as it doth in you1 since  
the day  you heard and knew the grace of
 ,god in truth4    #a3g4 ,as you learned
 of ,epaphras1 our most beloved fellow  
servant1 who is  for you a faithful     
minister of ,christ ,jesus2    #a3h4    
,who also hath manifested your love in  
the spirit4    #a3i4 ,therefore we also1
 from the day that we heard it1 cease   
not to pray  for you and to beg that you
 may be filled with the knowledge of his
  will1 in all wisdom and spiritual     
understanding3    #a3aj4 ,that you may  
walk worthy of ,god1 in all things      
pleasing2 being  fruitful in every good 
work and increasing in the knowledge of 
,god3    #a3aa4 ,strengthened with all  

might according to the power of his     
glory1  in all patience and             
longsuffering with joy1    #a3ab4       
,giving thanks to ,god the ,father1 who 
hath made us worthy to be  partakers of 
the lot of the saints in light3         
#a3ac4 ,who hath delivered us from the  
power of darkness and hath  translated  
us into the kingdom of the ,son of his  
love1    #a3ad4 ,in whom we have        
redemption through his blood1 the       
remission of  sins3    #a3ae4 ,who is   
the image of the invisible ,god1 the    
firstborn of every  creature3    ,the   
firstborn444 ,that is1 first begotten2  
as the ,evangelist declares1  the only  
begotten of his ,father3 hence1 ,st4    
,chrisostom explains  firstborn1 not    
first created1 as he was not created at 
all1 but born of  his ,father before all
 ages2 that is1 coeval with the ,father 
and with the  ,holy ,ghost4      #a3af4 
,for in him were all things created in  
heaven and on earth1 visible  and       
invisible1 whether thrones1 or          

dominations1 or principalities1 or      
powers4 ,all things were created by him 
and in him4    #a3ag4 ,and he is before 
all3 and by him all things consist4     
#a3ah4 ,and he is the head of the body1 
the church3 who is the beginning1  the  
firstborn from the dead1 that in all    
things he may hold the primacy3         
#a3ai4 ,because in him1 it hath well    
pleased the ,father that all fulness    
should dwell3    #a3bj4 ,and through him
 to reconcile all things unto himself1  
making peace  through the blood of his  
cross1 both as to the things that are on
 earth  and the things that are in      
heaven4    #a3ba4 ,and you1 whereas you 
were some time alienated and enemies in 
mind  in evil works3    #a3bb4 ,yet now 
he hath reconciled in the body of his   
flesh through death1  to present you    
holy and unspotted and blameless before 
him3    #a3bc4 ,if so ye continue in the
 faith1 grounded and settled1 and       
immoveable from the hope of the gospel  
which you have heard1 which is  preached

 in all the creation that is under      
heaven3 whereof ,i ,paul am  made a     
minister4    #a3bd4 ,who now rejoice in 
my sufferings for you and fill up those 
things  that are wanting of the         
sufferings of ,christ1 in my flesh1 for 
his body1  which is the church3         
,wanting444 ,there is no want in the    
sufferings of ,christ in himself as     
head3 but many sufferings are still     
wanting1 or are still to come1 in  his  
body the church1 and his members the    
faithful4    #a3be4 ,whereof ,i am made 
a minister according to the dispensation
 of ,god1  which is given me towards    
you1 that ,i may fulfil the word of     
,god3    #a3bf4 ,the mystery which hath 
been hidden from ages and generations1  
but  now is manifested to his saints1   
#a3bg4 ,to whom ,god would make known   
the riches of the glory of this  mystery
 among the ,gentiles1 which is ,christ1 
in you the hope of glory4    #a3bh4     
,whom we preach1 admonishing every man  
and teaching every man in  all wisdom1  

that we may present every man perfect in
 ,christ ,jesus4    #a3bi4 ,wherein also
 ,i labour1 striving according to his   
working which he  worketh in me in      
power4    ,colossians ,chapter #b    ,he
 warns them against the impostures of   
the philosophers and the ,jewish        
teachers1 that would withdraw them from 
,christ4    #b3a4 ,for ,i would have you
 know what manner of care ,i have for   
you and  for them that are at ,laodicea 
and whosoever have not seen my face in  
the  flesh3    #b3b4 ,that their hearts 
may be comforted1 being instructed in   
charity and  unto all riches of fulness 
of understanding1 unto the knowledge of 
the  mystery of ,god the ,father and of 
,christ ,jesus3    #b3c4 ,in whom are   
hid all the treasures of wisdom and     
knowledge4    #b3d4 ,now this ,i say1   
that no man may deceive you by loftiness
 of words4    #b3e4 ,for though ,i be   
absent in body1 yet in spirit ,i am with
 you1  rejoicing1 and beholding your    
order and the steadfastness of your     

faith  which is in ,christ4    #b3f4 ,as
 therefore you have received ,jesus     
,christ the ,lord1 walk ye in  him3     
#b3g4 ,rooted and built up in him and   
confirmed in the faith1 as also you     
have learned3 abounding in him in       
thanksgiving4    #b3h4 ,beware lest any 
man cheat you by philosophy and vain    
deceit3  according to the tradition of  
men according to the elements of the    
world  and not according to ,christ4    
#b3i4 ,for in him dwelleth all the      
fulness of the ,godhead corporeally4    
#b3aj4 ,and you are filled in him1 who  
is the head of all principality and     
power4    #b3aa4 ,in whom also you are  
circumcised with circumcision not made  
by  hand in despoiling of the body of   
the flesh3 but in the circumcision of   
,christ4    #b3ab4 ,buried with him in  
baptism3 in whom also you are risen     
again by  the faith of the operation of 
,god who hath raised him up from the    
dead4    #b3ac4 ,and you1 when you were 
dead in your sins and the uncircumcision

 of  your flesh1 he hath quickened      
together with him1 forgiving you all    
offences3    #b3ad4 ,blotting out the   
handwriting of the decree that was      
against us1  which was contrary to us4  
,and he hath taken the same out of the  
way1  fastening it to the cross4        
#b3ae4 ,and despoiling the              
principalities and powers1 he hath      
exposed them  confidently in open shew1 
triumphing over them in himself4        
#b3af4 ,let no man therefore judge you  
in meat or in drink or in respect  of a 
festival day or of the new moon or of   
the sabbaths1    ,in meat1 etc444 ,he   
means with regard to the ,jewish        
observations of the  distinction of     
clean and unclean meats2 and of their   
festivals1 new  moons1 and sabbaths1 as 
being no longer obligatory4    #b3ag4   
,which are a shadow of things to come3  
but the body is of ,christ4    #b3ah4   
,let no man seduce you1 willing in      
humility and religion of angels1        
walking in the things which he hath not 

seen1 in vain puffed up by the  sense of
 his flesh3    ,willing1 etc444 ,that   
is1 by a self willed1 self invented1    
superstitious  worship1 falsely         
pretending humility1 but really         
proceeding from pride4  ,such was the   
worship1 that many of the philosophers  
7against whom ,st4  ,paul speaks1 ver4  
#h7 paid to angels or demons1 by        
sacrificing to them1  as carriers of    
intelligence betwixt ,god and men2      
pretending humility in  so doing1 as if 
,god was too great to be addressed by   
men2 and setting  aside the mediatorship
 of ,jesus ,christ1 who is the head both
 of angels  and men4 ,such also was the 
worship paid by the ancient heretics1   
disciples of ,simon and ,menander1 to   
the angels1 whom they believed to be    
makers and lords of this lower world4   
,this is certain1 that they whom  the   
apostle here condemns1 did not hold the 
head1 7ver4 #ai17 that is1  ,jesus      
,christ1 and his mediatorship2 and      
therefore what he writes here no  way   

touches the ,catholic doctrine and      
practice1 of desiring our good  angels  
to pray to ,god for us1 through ,jesus  
,christ4 ,st4 ,jerome ,epist4  ad       
,algas4 understands by the religion or  
service of angels1 the ,jewish          
teachers1 who sought to subject the new 
,christians to the observance of  the   
,mosaic law4    #b3ai4 ,and not holding 
the head1 from which the whole body1 by 
joints and  bands1 being supplied with  
nourishment and compacted1 groweth into 
the  increase of ,god4    #b3bj4 ,if    
then you be dead with ,christ from the  
elements of this world1  why do you yet 
decree as though living in the world8   
#b3ba4 ,touch not3 taste not3 handle    
not4    ,touch not1 etc444 ,the meaning 
is1 that ,christians should not subject 
themselves1 either to the ordinances of 
the old law1 forbidding touching  or    
tasting things unclean2 or to the       
superstitious invention of  heretics1   
imposing such restraints1 under pretence
 of wisdom1 humility1  or mortification4

    #b3bb4 ,which all are unto          
destruction by the very use1 according  
to the  precepts and doctrines of men4  
#b3bc4 ,which things have indeed a shew 
of wisdom in superstition and  humility1
 and not sparing the body2 not in any   
honour to the filling of  the flesh4    
,colossians ,chapter #c    ,he exhorts  
them to put off the old man1 and to put 
on the new4  ,the  duties of wives and  
husbands1 children and servants4        
#c3a4 ,therefore if you be risen with   
,christ1 seek the things that are       
above1 where ,christ is sitting at the  
right hand of ,god4    #c3b4 ,mind the  
things that are above1 not the things   
that are upon the  earth4    #c3c4 ,for 
you are dead3 and your life is hid with 
,christ in ,god4    #c3d4 ,when ,christ 
shall appear1 who is your life1 then you
 also shall  appear with him in glory4  
#c3e4 ,mortify therefore your members   
which are upon the earth3  fornication1 
uncleanness1 lust1 evil concupiscence   
and covetousness1  which is the service 

of idols4    #c3f4 ,for which things the
 wrath of ,god cometh upon the children 
of  unbelief4    #c3g4 ,in which you    
also walked some time1 when you lived in
 them4    #c3h4 ,but now put you also   
all away3 anger1 indignation1 malice1   
blasphemy1 filthy speech out of your    
mouth4    #c3i4 ,lie not one to another3
 stripping yourselves of the old man    
with  his deeds1    #c3aj4 ,and putting 
on the new1 him who is renewed unto     
knowledge1  according to the image of   
him that created him4    #c3aa4 ,where  
there is neither ,gentile nor ,jew1     
circumcision nor  uncircumcision1       
,barbarian nor ,scythian1 bond nor free4
 ,but ,christ is all  and in all4       
#c3ab4 ,put ye on therefore1 as the     
elect of ,god1 holy and beloved1 the    
bowels of mercy1 benignity1 humility1   
modesty1 patience3    #c3ac4 ,bearing   
with one another and forgiving one      
another1 if any have a  complaint       
against another4 ,even as the ,lord hath
 forgiven you1 so do you  also4         

#c3ad4 ,but above all these things have 
charity1 which is the bond of           
perfection4    #c3ae4 ,and let the peace
 of ,christ rejoice in your hearts1     
wherein also  you are called in one     
body3 and be ye thankful4    #c3af4 ,let
 the word of ,christ dwell in you       
abundantly3 in all wisdom1  teaching and
 admonishing one another in psalms1     
hymns and spiritual  canticles1 singing 
in grace in your hearts to ,god4        
#c3ag4 ,all whatsoever you do in word or
 in work1 do all in the name of  the    
,lord ,jesus ,christ1 giving thanks to  
,god and the ,father by him4    #c3ah4  
,wives1 be subject to your husbands1 as 
it behoveth in the ,lord4    #c3ai4     
,husbands1 love your wives and be not   
bitter towards them4    #c3bj4          
,children1 obey your parents in all     
things3 for this is well  pleasing to   
the ,lord4    #c3ba4 ,fathers1 provoke  
not your children to indignation1 lest  
they be  discouraged4    #c3bb4         
,servants1 obey in all things your      

masters according to the flesh3  not    
serving to the eye1 as pleasing men3 but
 in simplicity of heart1  fearing ,god4 
#c3bc4 ,whatsoever you do1 do it from   
the heart1 as to the ,lord1 and not  to 
men3    #c3bd4 ,knowing that you shall  
receive of the ,lord the reward of      
inheritance4 ,serve ye the ,lord        
,christ4    #c3be4 ,for he that doth    
wrong shall receive for that which he   
hath done  wrongfully4 ,and there is no 
respect of persons with ,god4           
,colossians ,chapter #d    ,he          
recommends constant prayer and wisdom4  
,various salutations4    #d3a4 ,masters1
 do to your servants that which is just 
and equal3 knowing  that you also have a
 master in heaven4    #d3b4 ,be instant 
in prayer3 watching in it with          
thanksgiving4    #d3c4 ,praying withal  
for us also1 that ,god may open unto us 
a door of  speech to speak the mystery  
of ,christ 7for which also ,i am bound73
    #d3d4 ,that ,i may make it manifest 
as ,i ought to speak4    #d3e4 ,walk    

with wisdom towards them that are       
without1 redeeming the time4    #d3f4   
,let your speech be always in grace     
seasoned with salt3 that you may  know  
how you ought to answer every man4      
#d3g4 ,all the things that concern me1  
,tychicus1 our dearest brother and      
faithful minister and fellow servant in 
the ,lord1 will make known to  you4     
#d3h4 ,what ,i have sent to you for this
 same purpose1 that he may know the     
things that concern you and comfort your
 hearts3    #d3i4 ,with ,onesimus1 a    
most beloved and faithful brother1 who  
is one of  you4 ,all things that are    
done here1 they shall make known to you4
    #d3aj4 ,aristarchus1 my fellow      
prisoner1 saluteth you3 and ,mark1 the  
cousin german of ,barnabas1 touching    
whom you have received commandments4    
,if he come unto you1 receive him4      
#d3aa4 ,and ,jesus that is called       
,justus3 who are of the circumcision4   
,these only are my helpers1 in the      
kingdom of ,god3 who have been a        

comfort to me4    #d3ab4 ,epaphras      
saluteth you1 who is one of you1 a      
servant of ,christ  ,jesus1 who is      
always solicitous for you in prayers1   
that you may stand  perfect and full in 
all the will of ,god4    #d3ac4 ,for ,i 
bear him testimony that he hath much    
labour for you and for  them that are at
 ,laodicea and them at ,hierapolis4     
#d3ad4 ,luke1 the most dear physician1  
saluteth you3 and ,demas4    #d3ae4     
,salute the brethren who are at         
,laodicea3 and ,nymphas and the  church 
that is in his house4    #d3af4 ,and    
when this epistle shall have been read  
with you1 cause that it  be read also in
 the church of the ,laodiceans3 and that
 you read that  which is of the         
,laodiceans4    ,and that you read that 
which is of the ,laodiceans444 ,what    
this epistle  was is uncertain1 and     
annotators have given different opinions
  concerning it4 ,some expound these    
words of an epistle which ,st4 ,paul    
wrote to the ,laodiceans1 and is since  

lost1 for that now extant is no  more   
than a collection of sentences out of   
the other epistles of ,st4  ,paul2      
therefore it cannot be considered even  
as a part of that epistle4  ,others     
explain that the text means a letter    
sent to ,st4 ,paul by the  ,laodiceans1 
which he sends to the ,colossians to be 
read by them4  ,however1 this opinion   
does not seem well founded4 ,hence it is
 more  probable that ,st4 ,paul wrote an
 epistle from ,rome to the ,laodiceans1 
about the same time that he wrote to the
 ,colossians1 as he had them both       
equally at heart1 and that he ordered   
that epistle to be read by the          
,colossians for their instructions2 and 
being neighbouring cities1 they  might  
communicate to each other what they had 
received from him2 as one  epistle might
 contain some matters not related in the
 other1 and would  be equally useful for
 their concern2 and more particularly as
 they were  equally disturbed by        
intruders and false teachers1 against   

which the  apostle was anxious to warn  
them1 lest they should be infected by   
their  pernicious doctrine4    #d3ag4   
,and say to ,archippus3 ,take heed to   
the ministry which thou hast  received  
in the ,lord1 that thou fulfil it4      
#d3ah4 ,the salutation of ,paul with my 
own hand4 ,be mindful of my bands4      
,grace be with you4 ,amen4