Synoptic: Colossians & Ephesians

Colossians 1

Colossians

Ephesians

Paul, an apostle of the Messiah Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the saints and faithful brothers in the Messiah in Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father.

1.1–2 Paul, an apostle of the Messiah Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are faithful in the Messiah Jesus: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus the Messiah.

In our prayers for you we always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus the Messiah,

for we have heard of your faith in the Messiah Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints,

1.15ab I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love towards all the saints,

because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. You have heard of this hope before in the word of the truth, the gospel that has come to you. Just as it is bearing fruit and growing in the whole world, so it has been bearing fruit among yourselves from the day you heard it and truly comprehended the grace of God. This you learned from Epaphras, our beloved fellow-servant. He is a faithful minister of the Messiah on your behalf, and he has made known to us your love in the spirit.

For this reason, since the day we heard it, we have not ceased praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of God’s will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you may lead lives worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, as you bear fruit in every good work and as you grow in the knowledge of God. May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints

1.15c–19 and for this reason I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus the Messiah, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power.

in the light. He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

5.8–11 For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light—for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true. Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him. He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,

1.21–23 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come. And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven,

1.10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

by making peace through the blood of his cross.

1.7a In him we have redemption through his blood,

And you who were once estranged and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his fleshly body through death, so as to present you holy and blameless and irreproachable before him—provided that you continue securely established and steadfast in the faith, without shifting from the hope promised by the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven.

2.15–16 He has abolished the law with its commandments and ordinances, so that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus making peace, and might reconcile both groups to God in one body through the cross, thus putting to death that hostility through it.

I, Paul, became a servant of this gospel.

3.7 Of this gospel I have become a servant according to the gift of God’s grace that was given to me by the working of his power.

I am now rejoicing in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am completing what is lacking in the Messiah’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church. I became its servant according to God’s commission that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, the mystery that has been hidden throughout the ages and generations but has now been revealed to his saints. To them God chose to make known how great among the nations are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is the Messiah in you, the hope of glory. It is he whom we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone in all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in the Messiah. For this I toil and struggle with all the energy that he powerfully inspires within me.

3.8–16 Although I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given to me to bring to the nations the news of the boundless riches of the Messiah, and to make everyone see what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things; so that through the church the wisdom of God in its rich variety might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was in accordance with the eternal purpose that he has carried out in the Messiah Jesus our Lord, in whom we have access to God in boldness and confidence through faith in him. I pray therefore that you may not lose heart over my sufferings for you; they are your glory. For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name. I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his spirit,

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Colossians 2

Colossians

Ephesians

For I want you to know how much I am struggling for you, and for those in Laodicea, and for all who have not seen me face to face. I want their hearts to be encouraged and united in love,

so that they may have all the riches of assured understanding and have the knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, the Messiah himself, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

1.7c–9 according to the riches of his grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in the Messiah,

I am saying this so that no one may deceive you with plausible arguments. For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, and I rejoice to see your morale and the firmness of your faith in the Messiah. As you therefore have received the Messiah Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the universe, and not according to the Messiah.

5.6a Let no one deceive you with empty words,

For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have come to fullness in him, who is the head of every ruler and authority.

3.19 and to know the love of the Messiah that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

In him also you were circumcised with a spiritual circumcision, by putting off the body of the flesh in the circumcision of the Messiah;

2.11–12 So then, remember that at one time you gentiles by birth, called ‘the uncircumcision’ by those who are called ‘the circumcision’—a physical circumcision made in the flesh by human hands—

when you were buried with him in baptism, you were also raised with him through faith in

2.6a and raised us up with him

the power of God, who raised him from the dead.

1.20a God put this power to work in the Messiah when he raised him from the dead

And when you were dead in trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive together with him,

2.4–5 But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with the Messiah

when he forgave us all our trespasses,

1.7b the forgiveness of our trespasses,

erasing the record that stood against us with its legal demands. He set this aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and made a public example of them, triumphing over them in it. Therefore do not let anyone condemn you in matters of food and drink or of observing festivals, new moons, or sabbaths. These are only a shadow of what is to come, but the substance belongs to the Messiah. Do not let anyone disqualify you, insisting on self-abasement and worship of angels, dwelling on visions, puffed up without cause by a human way of thinking,

and not holding fast to the head, from whom the whole body, nourished and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows with a growth that is from God.

4.15–16 But speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into the Messiah, from whom the whole body, joined and knitted together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body’s growth in building itself up in love.

If with the Messiah you died to the elemental spirits of the universe, why do you live as if you still belonged to the world? Why do you submit to regulations, ‘Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch’? All these regulations refer to things that perish with use; they are simply human commands and teachings. These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-imposed piety, humility, and severe treatment of the body, but they are of no value in checking self-indulgence.

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Colossians 3

Colossians

Ephesians

So if you have been raised with the Messiah, seek the things that are above, where the Messiah is, seated at the right hand of God.

1.20b and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,

Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth, for you have died, and your life is hidden with the Messiah in God. When the Messiah who is your life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory.

Put to death, therefore, whatever in you is earthly: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed (which is idolatry).

5.3–5 But fornication and impurity of any kind, or greed, must not even be mentioned among you, as is proper among saints. Entirely out of place is obscene, silly, and vulgar talk; but instead, let there be thanksgiving. Be sure of this, that no fornicator or impure person, or one who is greedy (that is, an idolater), has any inheritance in the kingdom of the Messiah and of God.

On account of these the wrath of God is coming on those who are disobedient.

5.6b for because of these things the wrath of God comes on those who are disobedient.

These are the ways you also once followed, when you were living that life.

4.17 Now this I affirm and insist on in the Lord: you must no longer live as the gentiles live, in the futility of their minds.

But now you must get rid of all such things—anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive language from your mouth.

4.26–32 Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not make room for the devil. Thieves must give up stealing; rather let them labour and work honestly with their own hands, so as to have something to share with the needy. Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the holy spirit of God, with which you were marked with a seal for the day of redemption. Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice, and be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as God in the Messiah has forgiven you.

Do not lie to one another,

4.25 So then, putting away falsehood, let all of us speak the truth to our neighbours, for we are members of one another.

seeing that you have stripped off the old self with its practices and have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator. In that renewal there is no longer Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but the Messiah is all and in all!

4.22–24 You were taught to put away your former way of life, your old self, corrupt and deluded by its lusts, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to clothe yourselves with the new self, created according to the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

4.1–3 I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace.

And let the peace of the Messiah rule in your hearts,

3.17 and that the Messiah may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love.

to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful.

4.4–6 There is one body and one spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.

Let the word of the Messiah dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

3.18b–20 but be filled with the spirit, as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts, giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus the Messiah.

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

5.22 Wives, be subject to your husbands as you are to the Lord.

Husbands, love your wives and never treat them harshly.

5.25 Husbands, love your wives, just as the Messiah loved the church and gave himself up for her,

Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is your acceptable duty in the Lord.

6.1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.

Fathers, do not provoke your children, or they may lose heart.

6.4 And, fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything, not only while being watched and in order to please them, but wholeheartedly, fearing the Lord. Whatever your task, put yourselves into it, as done for the Lord and not for your masters, since you know that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward; you serve the Lord the Messiah.

6.5–8 Slaves, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, in singleness of heart, as you obey the Messiah; not only while being watched, and in order to please them, but as slaves of the Messiah, doing the will of God from the heart. Render service with enthusiasm, as to the Lord and not to men and women, knowing that whatever good we do, we will receive the same again from the Lord, whether we are slaves or free.

For the wrongdoer will be paid back for whatever wrong has been done, and there is no partiality.

6.9d and with him there is no partiality.

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Colossians 4

Colossians

Ephesians

Masters, treat your slaves justly and fairly, for you know that you also have a Master in heaven.

6.9abc And, masters, do the same to them. Stop threatening them, for you know that both of you have the same Master in heaven,

Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with thanksgiving. At the same time pray for us as well that God will open to us a door for the word,

6.18–20 Pray in the spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints. Pray also for me, so that when I speak, a message may be given to me to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it boldly, as I must speak.

that we may declare the mystery of the Messiah, for which I am in prison, so that I may reveal it clearly, as I should.

3.1–4 This is the reason that I Paul am a prisoner for the Messiah Jesus for the sake of you gentiles—for surely you have already heard of the commission of God’s grace that was given to me for you, and how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I wrote above in a few words, a reading of which will enable you to perceive my understanding of the mystery of the Messiah.

Conduct yourselves wisely towards outsiders, making the most of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer everyone.

Tychicus will tell you all the news about me; he is a beloved brother, a faithful minister, and a fellow-servant in the Lord. I have sent him to you for this very purpose, so that you may know how we are and that he may encourage your hearts;

6.21–22 So that you also may know how I am and what I am doing, Tychicus will tell you everything. He is a dear brother and a faithful minister in the Lord. I am sending him to you for this very purpose, to let you know how we are, and to encourage your hearts.

he is coming with Onesimus, the faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you about everything here. Aristarchus my fellow-prisoner greets you, as does Mark the cousin of Barnabas, concerning whom you have received instructions—if he comes to you, welcome him. And Jesus who is called Justus greets you. These are the only ones of the circumcision among my co-workers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me. Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of the Messiah Jesus, greets you. He is always wrestling in his prayers on your behalf, so that you may stand mature and fully assured in everything that God wills. For I testify for him that he has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea and in Hierapolis. Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas greet you. Give my greetings to the brothers in Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house. And when this letter has been read among you, have it read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you read also the letter from Laodicea. And say to Archippus, ‘See that you complete the task that you have received in the Lord.’ I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my chains.

Grace be with you.

6.24 Grace be with all who have an undying love for our Lord Jesus the Messiah.