Colossians 3

New International Version

Living as Those Made Alive in Christ

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

⁵Put to death,^(H) therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature:^(I) sexual immorality,^(J) impurity, lust, evil desires and greed,^(K) which is idolatry.^(L) ⁶Because of these, the wrath of God^(M) is coming.^[b] ⁷You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived.^(N) ⁸But now you must also rid yourselves^(O) of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander,^(P) and filthy language from your lips.^(Q) ⁹Do not lie to each other,^(R) since you have taken off your old self^(S) with its practices ¹⁰and have put on the new self,^(T) which is being renewed^(U) in knowledge in the image of its Creator.^(V) ¹¹Here there is no Gentile or Jew,^(W) circumcised or uncircumcised,^(X) barbarian, Scythian, slave or free,^(Y) but Christ is all,^(Z) and is in all.

¹²Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves^(AA) with compassion, kindness, humility,^(AB) gentleness and patience.^(AC) ¹³Bear with each other^(AD) and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.^(AE) ¹⁴And over all these virtues put on love,^(AF) which binds them all together in perfect unity.^(AG)

¹⁵Let the peace of Christ^(AH) rule in your hearts, since as members of one body^(AI) you were called to peace.^(AJ) And be thankful. ¹⁶Let the message of Christ^(AK) dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom^(AL) through psalms,^(AM) hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.^(AN) ¹⁷And whatever you do,^(AO) whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks^(AP) to God the Father through him.

Instructions for Christian Households^(AQ)

¹⁸Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands,^(AR) as is fitting in the Lord.

¹⁹Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.

²⁰Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.

²¹Fathers,^[c] do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.

²²Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. ²³Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, ²⁴since you know that you will receive an inheritance^(AS) from the Lord as a reward.^(AT) It is the Lord Christ you are serving. ²⁵Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for their wrongs, and there is no favoritism.^(AU)

Footnotes

Colossians 3:4 Some manuscripts our
Colossians 3:6 Some early manuscripts coming on those who are disobedient
Colossians 3:21 Or Parents

Psalm 144

New International Version

Psalm 144

Of David.

¹Praise be to the Lord my Rock,^(A)
    who trains my hands for war,
    my fingers for battle.
²He is my loving God and my fortress,^(B)
    my stronghold^(C) and my deliverer,
my shield,^(D) in whom I take refuge,
    who subdues peoples^[a]^(E) under me.

³Lord, what are human beings^(F) that you care for them,
mere mortals that you think of them?
⁴They are like a breath;^(G)
their days are like a fleeting shadow.^(H)

⁵Part your heavens,^(I) Lord, and come down;^(J)
    touch the mountains, so that they smoke.^(K)
⁶Send forth lightning^(L) and scatter^(M) the enemy;
    shoot your arrows^(N) and rout them.
⁷Reach down your hand from on high;^(O)
    deliver me and rescue me^(P)
from the mighty waters,^(Q)
    from the hands of foreigners^(R)
⁸whose mouths are full of lies,^(S)
    whose right hands^(T) are deceitful.^(U)

⁹I will sing a new song^(V) to you, my God;
on the ten-stringed lyre^(W) I will make music to you,
¹⁰to the One who gives victory to kings,^(X)
who delivers his servant David.^(Y)

From the deadly sword^(Z) ¹¹deliver me;
rescue me^(AA) from the hands of foreigners^(AB)
whose mouths are full of lies,^(AC)
whose right hands are deceitful.^(AD)

¹²Then our sons in their youth
    will be like well-nurtured plants,^(AE)
and our daughters will be like pillars^(AF)
    carved to adorn a palace.
¹³Our barns will be filled^(AG)
    with every kind of provision.
Our sheep will increase by thousands,
    by tens of thousands in our fields;
¹⁴    our oxen^(AH) will draw heavy loads.^[b]
There will be no breaching of walls,^(AI)
    no going into captivity,
    no cry of distress in our streets.^(AJ)
¹⁵Blessed is the people^(AK) of whom this is true;
    blessed is the people whose God is the Lord.

Footnotes

Psalm 144:2 Many manuscripts of the Masoretic Text, Dead Sea Scrolls, Aquila, Jerome and Syriac; most manuscripts of the Masoretic Text subdues my people
Psalm 144:14 Or our chieftains will be firmly established