19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.

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19 I am using an example from everyday life(A) because of your human limitations. Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness(B) leading to holiness.

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That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.

For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:

Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you:

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As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires,(A) but rather for the will of God. For you have spent enough time in the past(B) doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry.(C) They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you.(D)

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Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:

For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:

In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.

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Put to death,(A) therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature:(B) sexual immorality,(C) impurity, lust, evil desires and greed,(D) which is idolatry.(E) Because of these, the wrath of God(F) is coming.[a] You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived.(G)

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Footnotes

  1. Colossians 3:6 Some early manuscripts coming on those who are disobedient

13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

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13 Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness,(A) but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness.(B)

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Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

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in which you used to live(A) when you followed the ways of this world(B) and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air,(C) the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.(D) All of us also lived among them at one time,(E) gratifying the cravings of our flesh[a](F) and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.

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Footnotes

  1. Ephesians 2:3 In contexts like this, the Greek word for flesh (sarx) refers to the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit.

But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? (I speak as a man)

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But if our unrighteousness brings out God’s righteousness more clearly,(A) what shall we say? That God is unjust in bringing his wrath on us? (I am using a human argument.)(B)

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11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

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11 And that is what some of you were.(A) But you were washed,(B) you were sanctified,(C) you were justified(D) in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

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16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.

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16 Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey(A)—whether you are slaves to sin,(B) which leads to death,(C) or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God(D) that, though you used to be slaves to sin,(E) you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching(F) that has now claimed your allegiance.

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15 Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto.

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The Law and the Promise

15 Brothers and sisters,(A) let me take an example from everyday life. Just as no one can set aside or add to a human covenant that has been duly established, so it is in this case.

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15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;

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15 See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God(A) and that no bitter root(B) grows up to cause trouble and defile many.

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15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

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15 For we do not have a high priest(A) who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are(B)—yet he did not sin.(C)

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16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.

17 And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;

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16 Avoid godless chatter,(A) because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. 17 Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus(B) and Philetus,

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Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also?

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Do I say this merely on human authority? Doesn’t the Law say the same thing?

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