Add parallel Print Page Options

19 I am speaking in human terms because of your limitations.[a] For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and lawlessness, leading to even more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, leading to sanctification.(A)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 6.19 Gk the weakness of your flesh

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.

Read full chapter

13 No longer present your members to sin as instruments[a] of unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and present your members to God as instruments[b] of righteousness.(A)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 6.13 Or weapons
  2. 6.13 Or weapons

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)

Read full chapter

But if our injustice serves to confirm the justice of God, what should we say? That God is unjust to inflict wrath on us? (I speak in a human way.)(A)

Read full chapter

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)

Read full chapter

The Promise to Abraham

15 Brothers and sisters, I give an example from daily life: once a person’s will[a] has been ratified, no one adds to it or annuls it.(A)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 3.15 Or covenant

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.

Read full chapter

11 And this is what some of you used to be. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ[a] and in the Spirit of our God.(A)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 6.11 Other ancient authorities lack Christ

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.

Read full chapter

so as to live for the rest of your time in the flesh no longer by human desires but by the will of God.(A) You have already spent enough time in doing what the gentiles like to do, living in debauchery, passions, drunkenness, revels, carousing, and lawless idolatry.(B) They are surprised that you no longer join them in the same excesses of dissipation, and so they blaspheme.[a](C)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 4.4 Or they malign you

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)

Read full chapter

Put to death, therefore, whatever in you is earthly: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed (which is idolatry).(A) On account of these the wrath of God is coming on those who are disobedient.[a](B) These are the ways you also once followed, when you were living that life.[b]

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 3.6 Gk the sons of disobedience; other ancient authorities lack on those who are disobedient
  2. 3.7 Or living among such people

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)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

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

in which you once walked, following the course of this world,[a] following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient.[b](A) All of us once lived among them in the passions of our flesh, doing the will of flesh and senses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like everyone else,(B)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 2.2 Gk according to the aeon
  2. 2.2 Gk sons of disobedience

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.

Read full chapter

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.

16 Do you not know that, if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?(A) 17 But thanks be to God that you who were slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the form of teaching to which you were entrusted(B)

Read full chapter

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.

Read full chapter

15 See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God, that no root of bitterness springs up and causes trouble and through it many become defiled.(A)

Read full chapter

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.

Read full chapter

15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested[a] as we are, yet without sin.(A)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 4.15 Or tempted

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)

Read full chapter

16 Avoid profane chatter, for it will lead people[a] into more and more impiety,(A) 17 and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus,(B)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 2.16 Gk for they will advance

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,

Read full chapter

Do I say this on human authority? Does not the law also say the same?

Read full chapter

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

Read full chapter