From A Storehouse of Knowledge

The Epistle to the Colossians was a letter written by St Paul to the early Christian church in Colossae (in modern-day Turkey). It is included in the Bible, grouped with the other letters of Paul in the New Testament.

In the letter, Paul emphasises the precedence of faith in Jesus over laws made by people, for example laws about what to eat or drink (Colossians 2:16-17). He talks about laws as 'worldly', and states that followers of Christ are not 'of the world'. Having established this point, he then goes on to give advice on how to live a holy life in general terms (Colossians 3:5 and the following verses). As part of this, there is a passage on relationships similar to that in Ephesians that has proved controversial in modern times, since he advises that wives submit to their husbands, that husbands love their wives sacrificially, children should submit to their parents and slaves to their masters (or owners), and that slave masters should treat their slaves as fellow humans.

Books of the Bible
Old Testament
Pentateuch (Torah)	Genesis • Exodus • Leviticus • Numbers • Deuteronomy
History	Joshua • Judges • Ruth • I Samuel • II Samuel • I Kings • II Kings • I Chronicles • II Chronicles • Ezra • Nehemiah • Esther
Wisdom Literature	Job • Psalms • Proverbs • Ecclesiastes • Song of Solomon
Major Prophets	Isaiah • Jeremiah • Lamentations • Ezekiel • Daniel
Minor Prophets	Hosea • Joel • Amos • Obadiah • Jonah • Micah • Nahum • Habakkuk • Zephaniah • Haggai • Zechariah • Malachi
New Testament
The Gospels	According to Matthew • According to Mark • According to Luke • According to John
History	Acts of the Apostles
Pauline Epistles	Romans • I Corinthians • II Corinthians • Galatians • Ephesians • Philippians • Colossians • I Thessalonians • II Thessalonians • I Timothy • II Timothy • Titus • Philemon
General Epistles	Hebrews • James • I Peter • II Peter • I John • II John • III John • Jude
Prophecy	The Revelation to John