Colossians 3-4

Legacy Standard Bible

Put On the New Man

3 Therefore, if you have been ^(A)raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, ^(B)seated at the right hand of God. ^2 [a](C)Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. ³ For you ^(D)died and your life has been hidden with Christ in God. ⁴ When Christ, ^(E)who is our life, is manifested, ^(F)then you also will be manifested with Him in glory.

^5 (G)Therefore, ^[b]consider ^(H)the members of your earthly body as dead to ^(I)sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry. ⁶ On account of these things, ^(J)the wrath of God is coming ^[c]upon the sons of disobedience, ⁷ and ^(K)in them you also once walked, when you were living ^[d]in them. ⁸ But now you also, ^(L)lay them all aside: ^(M)wrath, anger, malice, slander, and ^(N)abusive speech from your mouth. ^9 [e](O)Do not lie to one another, since you ^(P)put off the old man with its evil practices, ¹⁰ and have ^(Q)put on the new man who is being ^[f](R)renewed to a full knowledge ^(S)according to the image of the One who ^(T)created him— ¹¹ a renewal in which ^(U)there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, ^(V)circumcised and uncircumcised, ^[g](W)barbarian, Scythian, ^(X)slave, and freeman, but ^(Y)Christ is all and in all.

¹² So, as the ^(Z)elect of God, holy and beloved, ^(AA)put on a ^(AB)heart of compassion, kindness, ^(AC)humility, gentleness, and ^[h](AD)patience; ^13 (AE)bearing with one another, and ^(AF)graciously forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone, ^(AG)just as the Lord graciously forgave you, so also should you. ¹⁴ Above all these things put on love, which is ^[i](AH)the perfect bond of ^(AI)unity. ¹⁵ And let ^(AJ)the peace of Christ ^[j]rule in your hearts, to which ^[k]indeed you were called in ^(AK)one body, and ^[l]be thankful. ¹⁶ Let ^(AL)the word of ^[m]Christ dwell in you richly, ^[n]with all wisdom ^(AM)teaching and admonishing ^[o]one another ^(AN)with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, ^(AO)singing ^[p]with gratefulness in your hearts to God. ^17 (AP)And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, ^(AQ)giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

Family and Work

^18 (AR)Wives, ^(AS)be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. ^19 (AT)Husbands, love your wives and do not be embittered against them. ^20 (AU)Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is pleasing ^[q]to the Lord. ^21 (AV)Fathers, do not exasperate your children, so that they will not lose heart.

^22 (AW)Slaves, in all things obey those who are your masters ^[r]according to the flesh, ^(AX)not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but with ^[s]integrity of heart, fearing the Lord. ²³ Whatever you do, do your work ^[t]heartily, ^(AY)as for the Lord ^[u]rather than for men, ^24 (AZ)knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward ^[v]of ^(BA)the inheritance. ^[w](BB)Serve the Lord Christ. ²⁵ For ^(BC)he who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and ^[x](BD)that without partiality.

Final Instructions and Greetings

4 Masters, show to your slaves what is right and fair, ^(BE)knowing that you too have a Master in heaven.

^2 (BF)Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving; ³ praying at the same time ^(BG)for us as well, that God will open up to us a ^(BH)door for ^(BI)the word, so that we may speak ^(BJ)the mystery of Christ, for which I have also ^(BK)been bound, ⁴ that I may make it ^(BL)manifest ^(BM)in the way I ought to speak.

^5 (BN)Walk in wisdom toward ^(BO)outsiders, ^(BP)redeeming the time. ^6 (BQ)Let your ^[y]words always be ^[z]with grace, seasoned with ^(BR)salt, so that you will know how you should ^(BS)answer each person.

^7 (BT)Tychicus, our ^(BU)beloved brother and faithful servant and fellow slave in the Lord, will make known to you ^(BV)all my affairs, ^8 (BW)whom I have sent to you for this very purpose, that you may know about our circumstances and that he may ^(BX)encourage your hearts; ^9 [aa]and with him ^(BY)Onesimus, our faithful and ^(BZ)beloved brother, ^(CA)who is one of you. They will inform you about the whole situation here.

^10 (CB)Aristarchus, my ^(CC)fellow prisoner, sends you his greetings; and also Mark, the cousin of ^(CD)Barnabas (about whom you received ^[ab]instructions; ^(CE)if he comes to you, welcome him); ¹¹ and also Jesus who is called Justus. These are the only ^(CF)fellow workers for the kingdom of God ^(CG)who are from the circumcision, and they have proved to be a comfort to me. ^12 (CH)Epaphras, ^(CI)who is one of your number, a slave of Christ Jesus, sends you his greetings, always ^(CJ)striving for you in his prayers, that you may stand ^[ac](CK)complete and ^(CL)fully assured in all the will of God. ¹³ For I testify for him that he has ^[ad]a deep concern for you and for those who are in ^(CM)Laodicea and Hierapolis. ^14 (CN)Luke, the beloved physician, sends you his greetings, and also ^(CO)Demas. ¹⁵ Greet the brothers who are in ^(CP)Laodicea and also ^[ae]Nympha and ^(CQ)the church that is in ^[af]her house. ^16 (CR)And when ^[ag]this letter is read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and you, for your part ^(CS)read ^[ah]my letter that is coming from ^(CT)Laodicea. ¹⁷ And say to ^(CU)Archippus, “Take heed to the ^(CV)ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may ^[ai]fulfill it.”

^18 (CW)The greeting is in my own hand—^[aj]Paul. ^(CX)Remember my ^(CY)chains. ^(CZ)Grace be with you.