¹⁸ For Christ also suffered once^(A) for sins,^(B) the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.^(C) He was put to death in the body^(D) but made alive in the Spirit.^{(E) 19} After being made alive,^[a] he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits^(F)— ²⁰ to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently^(G) in the days of Noah while the ark was being built.^(H) In it only a few people, eight in all,^(I) were saved^(J) through water, ²¹ and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you^(K) also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience^(L) toward God.^[b] It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ,^{(M) 22} who has gone into heaven^(N) and is at God’s right hand^(O)—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.^(P)

³ Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized^(A) into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? ⁴ We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death^(B) in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead^(C) through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.^(D)

¹¹ In him you were also circumcised^(A) with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh^[a](B) was put off when you were circumcised by^[b] Christ, ¹² having been buried with him in baptism,^(C) in which you were also raised with him^(D) through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.^(E)

¹³ When you were dead in your sins^(F) and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you^[c] alive^(G) with Christ. He forgave us all our sins,^{(H) 14} having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness,^(I) which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.^(J)

²⁰ Since you died with Christ^(A) to the elemental spiritual forces of this world,^(B) why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its rules:^{(C) 21} “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”? ²² These rules, which have to do with things that are all destined to perish^(D) with use, are based on merely human commands and teachings.^{(E) 23} Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility^(F) and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.

²⁶ Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world.^(A) But he has appeared^(B) once for all^(C) at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.^(D)

Living for God

4 Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body,^(A) arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin.^(B)