Colossians 2-3

New American Standard Bible

You Are Built Up in Christ

2 For I want you to know how great a ^(A)struggle I have in your behalf and for those who are at ^(B)Laodicea, and for all those who have not ^[a]personally seen my face, ² that their ^(C)hearts may be encouraged, having been ^(D)knit together in love, and that they would attain to all ^(E)the wealth ^[b]that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a ^(F)true knowledge of ^(G)God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself, ³ in whom are hidden all ^(H)the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. ^4 (I)I say this so that no one will deceive you with ^(J)persuasive arguments. ⁵ For even though I am ^(K)absent in body, I am nevertheless with you in spirit, rejoicing ^[c]to see ^[d]your ^(L)orderly manner and the ^(M)stability of your faith in Christ.

⁶ Therefore, as you have received ^(N)Christ Jesus the Lord, so ^[e](O)walk in Him, ⁷ having been firmly ^(P)rooted and now being ^(Q)built up in Him and ^(R)established ^[f]in ^[g]your faith, just as you ^(S)were instructed, and overflowing ^[h]with gratitude.

^8 (T)See to it that there is no one who takes you captive through ^(U)philosophy and empty deception in accordance with human tradition, in accordance with the ^(V)elementary principles of the world, ^[i]rather than in accordance with Christ. ⁹ For in Him all the ^(W)fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, ¹⁰ and in Him you have been ^(X)made ^[j]complete, and ^(Y)He is the head ^[k]over every ^(Z)ruler and authority; ¹¹ and in Him ^(AA)you were also circumcised with a circumcision performed without hands, in the removal of ^(AB)the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ, ¹² having been ^(AC)buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also ^(AD)raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who ^(AE)raised Him from the dead. ¹³ And ^[l]when you were ^(AF)dead ^[m]in your wrongdoings and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He ^(AG)made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our wrongdoings, ¹⁴ having canceled ^(AH)the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and ^(AI)He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. ¹⁵ When He had ^[n](AJ)disarmed the ^(AK)rulers and authorities, He ^(AL)made a public display of them, having ^(AM)triumphed over them through ^[o]Him.

¹⁶ Therefore, no one is to ^[p](AN)act as your judge in regard to ^(AO)food and ^(AP)drink, or in respect to a ^(AQ)festival or a ^(AR)new moon, or a ^(AS)Sabbath ^[q]day— ¹⁷ things which are only a ^(AT)shadow of what is to come; but the ^[r]substance ^[s]belongs to Christ. ¹⁸ Take care that no one keeps ^[t](AU)defrauding you of your prize by ^(AV)delighting in humility and the worship of the angels, ^[u]taking his stand on visions he has seen, ^[v](AW)inflated without cause by his ^(AX)fleshly mind, ¹⁹ and not holding firmly to ^(AY)the head, from whom ^(AZ)the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ^[w]ligaments, grows with a growth ^[x]which is from God.

^20 (BA)If you have died with Christ ^[y]to the ^(BB)elementary principles of the world, ^(BC)why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to ^(BD)decrees, such as, ²¹ “Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!” ²² (which all refer ^(BE)to things destined to perish ^[z]with use)—in accordance with the ^(BF)commandments and teachings of man? ²³ These are matters which do have the ^[aa]appearance of wisdom in ^[ab](BG)self-made religion and humility and ^(BH)severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against ^(BI)fleshly indulgence.

Put On the New Self

3 Therefore, if you have been ^(BJ)raised with Christ, keep seeking the things that are above, where Christ is, ^(BK)seated at the right hand of God. ^2 [ac](BL)Set your minds on the things that are above, not on the things that are on earth. ³ For you have ^(BM)died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. ⁴ When Christ, ^(BN)who is our life, is revealed, ^(BO)then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.

^5 (BP)Therefore, ^[ad]treat ^(BQ)the parts of your earthly body as dead to ^(BR)sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which ^[ae]amounts to idolatry. ⁶ For it is because of these things that ^(BS)the wrath of God is coming ^[af]upon the ^[ag]sons of disobedience, ⁷ and ^(BT)in them you also once walked, when you were living ^[ah]in them. ⁸ But now you also, ^(BU)rid yourselves of all of them: ^(BV)anger, wrath, malice, slander, and ^(BW)obscene speech from your mouth. ^9 [ai](BX)Do not lie to one another, since you ^(BY)stripped off the old ^[aj]self with its evil practices, ¹⁰ and have ^(BZ)put on the new self, which is being ^[ak](CA)renewed to a true knowledge ^(CB)according to the image of the One who ^(CC)created it— ¹¹ a renewal in which ^(CD)there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, ^(CE)circumcised and uncircumcised, ^[al](CF)barbarian, ^[am]Scythian, ^(CG)slave, and free, but ^(CH)Christ is all, and in all.

¹² So, as those who have been ^(CI)chosen of God, holy and beloved, ^(CJ)put on a ^(CK)heart of compassion, kindness, ^(CL)humility, gentleness, and ^[an](CM)patience; ^13 (CN)bearing with one another, and ^(CO)forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; ^(CP)just as the Lord forgave you, so must you do also. ¹⁴ In addition to all these things put on love, which is ^[ao](CQ)the perfect bond of ^(CR)unity. ¹⁵ Let ^(CS)the peace of Christ, to which you were ^[ap]indeed called in ^(CT)one body, ^[aq]rule in your hearts; and ^[ar]be thankful. ¹⁶ Let ^(CU)the word of ^[as]Christ richly dwell within you, ^[at]with all wisdom ^(CV)teaching and admonishing ^[au]one another ^(CW)with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, ^(CX)singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. ^17 (CY)Whatever you do in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, ^(CZ)giving thanks through Him to God the Father.

Family Relations

^18 (DA)Wives, ^(DB)be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. ^19 (DC)Husbands, love your wives and do not become bitter against them. ^20 (DD)Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is pleasing ^[av]to the Lord. ^21 (DE)Fathers, do not ^[aw]antagonize your children, so that they will not become discouraged.

^22 [ax](DF)Slaves, obey those who are your ^[ay]human masters in everything, ^(DG)not with ^[az]eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. ²³ Whatever you do, do your work ^[ba]heartily, ^(DH)as for the Lord and not for people, ^24 (DI)knowing that it is from the Lord that you will receive the reward ^[bb]of ^(DJ)the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you ^(DK)serve. ²⁵ For ^(DL)the one who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and ^[bc](DM)that without partiality.