EPISTLE OF PAUL TO THE LAODICEANS
This Epistle has been highly esteemed by several learned men of the church of Rome and others. The Quakers have printed a translation and plead for it, as the reader may see, by consulting Poole's Annotations on Col. vi. 16. Sixtus Senensis mentions two MSS., the one in the Sorbonne Library at Paris, which is a very ancient copy, and the other in the Library of Joannes a Viridario, at Padua, which he transcribed and published, and which is the authority for the following translation. There is a very old translation of this Epistle in the British Museum, among the Harleian MSS., Cod. 1212.
CHAPTER 1
1 Paul an Apostle, not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, to the brethren which are at Laodicea.
2 Grace be to you, and Peace, from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.
3 I thank Christ in every prayer of mine, that ye may continue and persevere in good works looking for that which is promised in the day of judgment.
4 Let not the vain speeches of any trouble you who pervert the truth, that they may draw you aside from the truth of the Gospel which I have preached.
5 And now may God grant, that my converts may attain to a perfect knowledge of the truth of the Gospel, be beneficent, and doing good works which accompany salvation.
6 And now my bonds, which I suffer in Christ, are manifest, in which I rejoice and am glad.
7 For I know that this shall turn to my salvation for ever, which shall be through your prayer, and the supply of the Holy Spirit.
8 Whether I live or die; for to me to live shall be a life to Christ, to die will be joy.
9 And our Lord will grant us his mercy, that ye may have the same love, and be like-minded.
10 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have heard of the coming of the Lord, so think and act in fear, and it shall be to you life eternal;
11 For it is God who worketh in you;
12 And do all things without sin.
13 And what is best, my beloved, rejoice in the Lord Jesus Christ, and avoid all filthy lucre.
14 Let all your requests be made known to God, and be steady in the doctrine of Christ.
15 And whatsoever things are sound and true, and of good report, and chaste, and just, and lovely, these things do.
16 Those things which ye have heard, and received, think on these things, and peace shall be with you.
17 All the saints salute you.
18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
19 Cause this Epistle to be read to the Colossians, and the Epistle of the Colossians to be read among you.