Seek the Things Above

Therefore, if you have been raised together with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory.

Put Off the Old Behavior

Therefore put to death what is earthly in you[a]: sexual immorality, uncleanness, lustful passion, evil desire, and greediness, which is idolatry, because of which the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, in which also you once lived, when you used to live in them.[b] But now you also lay aside all these things: anger, rage, wickedness, slander, abusive language from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, because you[c] have taken off the old man together with his deeds, 10 and have put on the new man that is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of the one who created him, 11 where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave, or free, but Christ is all, and in all.

Appeal for New Behavior

12 Therefore, as the chosen of God, holy and dearly loved, put on affection, compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, 13 putting up with one another and forgiving one another. If anyone should have a complaint against anyone, just as also the Lord forgave you, thus also you do the same. 14 And to all these things add love, which is the bond of perfection. 15 And the peace of Christ must rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body, and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another with all wisdom, with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God, 17 and everything whatever[d] you do in word or in deed, giving thanks for all things in the name of the Lord Jesus to God the Father through him.

Mutual Responsibilities in Christian Relationships

18 Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives and do not be embittered against them. 20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is pleasing in the Lord. 21 Fathers, do not provoke your children, so that they will not become discouraged. 22 Slaves, obey your human[e] masters in everything, not while being watched[f], as people pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, accomplish it from the soul, as to the Lord, and not to people, 24 because you[g] know that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. Serve[h] the Lord Christ. 25 For the one who does wrong will receive back whatever wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.

Footnotes

  1. Colossians 3:5 Literally “the members on the earth”
  2. Colossians 3:7 Or “among them” (the pronoun may refer either to people or to sins)
  3. Colossians 3:9 Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“have taken off”) which is understood as causal
  4. Colossians 3:17 Literally “if anything that”
  5. Colossians 3:22 Literally “according to the flesh”
  6. Colossians 3:22 Literally “with eye-service”
  7. Colossians 3:24 Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“know”) which is understood as causal
  8. Colossians 3:24 Or “You serve”; the same Greek verb form can be understood as either imperative (“serve”) or indicative (“you serve”), so that commentators and Bible translations differ

Therefore oun if ei you have been raised synegeirō with ho Christ Christos, seek zēteō the ho things above anō, where hou · ho Christ Christos is eimi, seated kathēmai at en the right dexios hand of ho God theos. Set your minds on phroneō things ho above anō, not on things ho on epi · ho earth , for gar you died apothnēskō and kai · ho your hymeis life zōē is hidden kryptō with syn · ho Christ Christos in en · ho God theos. When hotan · ho Christ Christos, who is your hymeis life zōē, appears phaneroō, · ho then tote you hymeis also kai will appear phaneroō with syn him autos in en glory doxa.

Therefore oun put to death nekroō · ho whatever melos · ho is earthly epi ho · ho in you: sexual porneia immorality , impurity akatharsia, lust pathos, evil kakos desire epithumia, and kai · ho covetousness pleonexia, which hostis is eimi idolatry eidōlolatria. Because dia of these hos, the ho wrath orgē of ho God theos is coming erchomai upon epi the ho sons hyios of ho disobedience apeitheia. And in en them hos you hymeis also kai once pote walked peripateō, when hote you were living zaō among en them houtos. But de now nyni you hymeis must put apotithēmi away · kai all pas those things ho: anger orgē, rage thumos, malice kakia, slander blasphēmia, and filthy aischrologia talk from ek · ho your hymeis mouth stoma. Stop lying pseudomai to eis one allēlōn another , since you have put apekdyomai off the ho old palaios man anthrōpos with syn · ho its autos practices praxis, 10 and kai have put endyō on the ho new neos man , which ho is being renewed anakainoō in eis knowledge epignōsis after kata the image eikōn of ho its autos creator ktizō. 11 Here hopou there is no ou longer Greek Hellēn and kai Jew Ioudaios, circumcised peritomē and kai uncircumcised akrobystia, barbarian barbaros, Scythian Skythēs, slave and free eleutheros, but alla Christ Christos is · ho all pas and kai in en all pas.

12 Therefore oun, as hōs the elect eklektos of ho God theos, holy hagios and kai dearly loved agapaō, clothe yourselves with endyō heartfelt splanchnon compassion oiktirmos, kindness chrēstotēs, humility tapeinophrosynē, gentleness prautēs, and patience makrothumia. 13 Bear anechōmai with one allēlōn another and kai forgive charizomai each heautou another , should ean anyone tis have echō a complaint momphē against pros another tis. As kathōs · kai the ho Lord kyrios has graciously forgiven charizomai you hymeis, so houtōs also kai you hymeis must forgive. 14 And de cover epi all pas these houtos virtues with ho love agapē, which hos is eimi the bond syndesmos that ho leads to perfection teleiotēs. 15 And kai let the ho peace eirēnē of ho Christ Christos be the ruling principle brabeuō in en · ho your hymeis heart kardia, to eis which hos indeed kai you were called kaleō in en one heis body sōma. And kai be ginomai thankful eucharistos. 16 Let the ho word logos of ho Christ Christos dwell enoikeō in en you hymeis richly plousiōs as you teach didaskō and kai admonish noutheteō one heautou another with en all pas wisdom sophia by means of psalms psalmos, hymns hymnos, and spiritual pneumatikos songs ōdē, singing adō with en · ho gratitude charis in en · ho your hymeis heart kardia to ho God theos. 17 And kai whatever pas hos you do poieō in en word logos or ē deed ergon, do everything pas in en the name onoma of the Lord kyrios Jesus Iēsous, giving eucharisteō thanks to ho God theos the Father patēr through dia him autos. 18 · ho Wives gynē, be subject hypotassō to your ho husbands anēr, as hōs is fitting anēkō in en the Lord kyrios. 19 · ho Husbands anēr, love agapaō your ho wives gynē and kai do not become bitter pikrainō toward pros them autos. 20 · ho Children teknon, obey hypakouō your ho parents goneus in kata everything pas, for gar this houtos is eimi pleasing euarestos in en the Lord kyrios. 21 · ho Fathers patēr, do not provoke erethizō · ho your hymeis children teknon, lest hina mē they become discouraged athymeō. 22 · ho Slaves, obey hypakouō your ho earthly kata masters kyrios in kata every regard pas, not with en a view to impressing ophthalmodoulia others , as hōs people-pleasers anthrōpareskos, but alla with en sincerity haplotēs of heart kardia, fearing phobeomai the ho Lord kyrios. 23 Whatever hos ean you do poieō, do ergazomai it heartily ek psychē, as hōs for the ho Lord kyrios, · kai not ou for men anthrōpos, 24 for you know oida that hoti you will receive apolambanō an ho inheritance antapodosis from apo the Lord kyrios as your ho reward klēronomia. Serve douleuō the ho Lord kyrios Christ Christos. 25 But gar the ho one who does wrong adikeō will be paid komizō back for his hos wrong adikeō, and kai there is eimi no ou favoritism prosōpolēmpsia.