The Life of the New Man

3 So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.^{(A) 2} Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.^{(B) 3} For you died,^(C) and your life is hidden with Christ in God. ⁴ When Christ, who is your^[a] life, appears,^(D) then you also will appear with him in glory.^(E)

⁵ Therefore, put to death what belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity,^(F) lust,^(G) evil desire, and greed,^(H) which is idolatry.^{(I) 6} Because of these, God’s wrath^(J) is coming upon the disobedient,^{[b] 7} and you once walked in these things when you were living^(K) in them. ⁸ But now, put away^(L) all the following: anger,^(M) wrath,^(N) malice,^(O) slander,^(P) and filthy language from your mouth.^{(Q) 9} Do not lie^(R) to one another, since you have put off^(S) the old self^(T) with its practices ¹⁰ and have put on^(U) the new self. You are being renewed in knowledge according to the image of your^[c] Creator.^{(V) 11} In Christ there is not Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all.^(W)

The Parable of the Rich Fool

¹³ Someone from the crowd said to him, “Teacher,^(A) tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”

¹⁴ “Friend,”^[a] he said to him, “who appointed me a judge or arbitrator over you?” ¹⁵ He then told them, “Watch out and be on guard^(B) against all greed,^(C) because one’s life is not in the abundance of his possessions.”^(D)

¹⁶ Then he told them a parable:^(E) “A rich^(F) man’s land was very productive. ¹⁷ He thought to himself, ‘What should I do, since I don’t have anywhere to store my crops? ¹⁸ I will do this,’ he said. ‘I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones and store all my grain and my goods there. ¹⁹ Then I’ll say to myself, “You have many goods stored up for many years. Take it easy;^(G) eat, drink, and enjoy yourself.”’^(H)

²⁰ “But God said to him, ‘You fool!^(I) This very night your life is demanded of you. And the things you have prepared—whose will they be?’^(J)

²¹ “That’s how it is with the one who stores up treasure^(K) for himself and is not rich toward God.”^(L)