Colossians 3
New American Standard Bible
Put On the New Self
3 Therefore, if you have been (A)raised with Christ, keep seeking the things that are above, where Christ is, (B)seated at the right hand of God. 2 [a](C)Set your minds on the things that are above, not on the things that are on earth. 3 For you have (D)died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, (E)who is our life, is revealed, (F)then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.
5 (G)Therefore, [b]treat (H)the parts of your earthly body as dead to (I)sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which [c]amounts to idolatry. 6 For it is because of these things that (J)the wrath of God is coming [d]upon the [e]sons of disobedience, 7 and (K)in them you also once walked, when you were living [f]in them. 8 But now you also, (L)rid yourselves of all of them: (M)anger, wrath, malice, slander, and (N)obscene speech from your mouth. 9 [g](O)Do not lie to one another, since you (P)stripped off the old [h]self with its evil practices, 10 and have (Q)put on the new self, which is being [i](R)renewed to a true knowledge (S)according to the image of the One who (T)created it— 11 a renewal in which (U)there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, (V)circumcised and uncircumcised, [j](W)barbarian, [k]Scythian, (X)slave, and free, but (Y)Christ is all, and in all.
12 So, as those who have been (Z)chosen of God, holy and beloved, (AA)put on a (AB)heart of compassion, kindness, (AC)humility, gentleness, and [l](AD)patience; 13 (AE)bearing with one another, and (AF)forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; (AG)just as the Lord forgave you, so must you do also. 14 In addition to all these things put on love, which is [m](AH)the perfect bond of (AI)unity. 15 Let (AJ)the peace of Christ, to which you were [n]indeed called in (AK)one body, [o]rule in your hearts; and [p]be thankful. 16 Let (AL)the word of [q]Christ richly dwell within you, [r]with all wisdom (AM)teaching and admonishing [s]one another (AN)with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, (AO)singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 (AP)Whatever you do in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, (AQ)giving thanks through Him to God the Father.
Family Relations
18 (AR)Wives, (AS)be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19 (AT)Husbands, love your wives and do not become bitter against them. 20 (AU)Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is pleasing [t]to the Lord. 21 (AV)Fathers, do not [u]antagonize your children, so that they will not become discouraged.
22 [v](AW)Slaves, obey those who are your [w]human masters in everything, (AX)not with [x]eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, do your work [y]heartily, (AY)as for the Lord and not for people, 24 (AZ)knowing that it is from the Lord that you will receive the reward [z]of (BA)the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you (BB)serve. 25 For (BC)the one who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and [aa](BD)that without partiality.
Footnotes
- Colossians 3:2 Or Be intent on
- Colossians 3:5 Lit put to death the parts of your body which are upon the earth
- Colossians 3:5 Lit is
- Colossians 3:6 Two early mss do not contain upon the sons of disobedience
- Colossians 3:6 I.e., people opposed to God
- Colossians 3:7 Or among these
- Colossians 3:9 Or Stop lying
- Colossians 3:9 Lit person
- Colossians 3:10 Lit renovated
- Colossians 3:11 I.e., uncultured
- Colossians 3:11 I.e., a member of an ancient people near the Black Sea, often considered unrefined
- Colossians 3:12 I.e., forbearance toward others
- Colossians 3:14 Lit the uniting bond of perfection
- Colossians 3:15 Or also
- Colossians 3:15 Or be in control in
- Colossians 3:15 Or show yourselves thankful
- Colossians 3:16 One early ms the Lord
- Colossians 3:16 Or in
- Colossians 3:16 Or one another, singing with psalms...
- Colossians 3:20 Lit in
- Colossians 3:21 Or provoke to anger
- Colossians 3:22 I.e., slaves in first-century Roman culture
- Colossians 3:22 Lit masters according to flesh
- Colossians 3:22 I.e., working only when watched
- Colossians 3:23 Lit from the soul
- Colossians 3:24 I.e., consisting of
- Colossians 3:25 Lit there is no partiality
Colossians 3
Lexham English Bible
Seek the Things Above
3 Therefore, if you have been raised together with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory.
Put Off the Old Behavior
5 Therefore put to death what is earthly in you[a]: sexual immorality, uncleanness, lustful passion, evil desire, and greediness, which is idolatry, 6 because of which the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, 7 in which also you once lived, when you used to live in them.[b] 8 But now you also lay aside all these things: anger, rage, wickedness, slander, abusive language from your mouth. 9 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
- Colossians 3:5 Literally “the members on the earth”
- Colossians 3:7 Or “among them” (the pronoun may refer either to people or to sins)
- Colossians 3:9 Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“have taken off”) which is understood as causal
- Colossians 3:17 Literally “if anything that”
- Colossians 3:22 Literally “according to the flesh”
- Colossians 3:22 Literally “with eye-service”
- Colossians 3:24 Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“know”) which is understood as causal
- 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
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