3 God has raised you with Christ to a new life. So you should want more and more the things that belong to heaven. That is where Christ is now. He sits there at God's right side. 2 So think about the good things that are there in heaven above. Do not think only about things that are on the earth. 3 Remember that your old nature has died. God is keeping your new life safe with Christ. 4 You have that new life because you belong to Christ. One day, Christ will show himself clearly to everyone. Then everyone will see that you are with him. They will see that you also are great, like he is.
5 Your old nature likes to do bad things that belong to this earth. But your old nature is dead, so do not do these bad things any more. Do not have sex with someone that you are not married to. Do not think bad, disgusting thoughts. Do not want to have sex in a wrong way. Do not want to do any kinds of bad things. Do not want to have many things for yourselves. That shows that you worship those things as your idol. 6 God will certainly punish people who do those kinds of bad things.
7 At one time, you lived like that. You did those kinds of bad things. 8 But now you must refuse to do all kinds of things like that. Do not become angry with people or shout at them. Do not do anything or say anything that will hurt other people. Do not speak any bad or disgusting words. 9 Do not deceive each other with lies. Remember that you have taken off your old nature, like an old coat. As a result, you can stop doing all the bad things that you liked to do before.
10 Now you have received a new nature. It is God who made it for you so that you can become more and more like him. You will learn to know him better and better. 11 People have this new nature only because they belong to Christ. That is the important thing. Jews are not different from Gentiles. It does not matter whether someone has circumcised you or not. It does not matter which country you come from or how clever you are. It does not matter whether you are a slave or a free person. Christ is all that matters. He lives in every believer.
12 God has chosen you to be his own special people. You belong to him and he loves you very much. So this is how you should live: Be kind to other people and help them. Do not think that you are better than other people. Instead, respect them and be patient with them. 13 Do not become angry with each other. If you think that someone has done something wrong against you, forgive them. Remember that the Lord has forgiven you. So you should also forgive other people. 14 And you must also love each other. That is the most important thing that you should do. Love holds all these good things completely together.
15 Christ has given you peace in your minds. So let that peace rule your thoughts. God has chosen you to be like one body, as his people. So he wants you to live together in peace. Thank God for everything that he gives to you. 16 Let Christ's message always be in your thoughts, with all the good things that it brings. Use that message to teach and to warn each other. Be very wise as you do that. And also sing all kinds of spiritual songs to praise God. Sing psalms and Christian songs. As you sing, thank God from inside yourselves. 17 Show that you belong to the Lord Jesus with everything that you do and with everything that you say. Always thank God the Father in the way that you serve Jesus.
18 Wives, obey your husbands. That is the right thing to do, because you belong to the Lord.
19 Husbands, love your wives. Do not bring trouble to them.
20 Children, always obey your parents. That pleases the Lord.
21 Fathers, do not cause your children to be upset. If you do, they might think that they never do anything that is good.
22 Slaves, always obey your human masters. Do not do good work only when they can see you. Some people only work to make other people like them. Instead, serve your masters well because you want to. That will show that you respect the Lord as your master. 23 Whatever things you are doing, do them well. Remember that you are serving the Lord. You are not only serving people. 24 You know that you will receive the good things that the Lord has promised to his people. He will give you what is right for you. The Lord Jesus Christ is the master that you serve. 25 Remember that God will punish anyone who does wrong things. He always judges people correctly, whoever they are.
3 You were raised from death with Christ. So live for what is in heaven, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Think only about what is up there, not what is here on earth. 3 Your old self has died, and your new life is kept with Christ in God. 4 Yes, Christ is now your life, and when he comes again, you will share in his glory.
5 So put everything evil out of your life: sexual sin, doing anything immoral, letting sinful thoughts control you, and wanting things that are wrong. And don’t keep wanting more and more for yourself, which is the same as worshiping a false god. 6 God will show his anger against those who don’t obey him, [ a ] because they do these evil things. 7 You also did these things in the past, when you lived like them.
8 But now put these things out of your life: anger, losing your temper, doing or saying things to hurt others, and saying shameful things. 9 Don’t lie to each other. You have taken off those old clothes—the person you once were and the bad things you did then. 10 Now you are wearing a new life, a life that is new every day. You are growing in your understanding of the one who made you. You are becoming more and more like him. 11 In this new life it doesn’t matter if you are a Greek or a Jew, circumcised or not. It doesn’t matter if you speak a different language or even if you are a Scythian. [ b ] It doesn’t matter if you are a slave or free. Christ is all that matters, and he is in all of you.
12 God has chosen you and made you his holy people. He loves you. So your new life should be like this: Show mercy to others. Be kind, humble, gentle, and patient. 13 Don’t be angry with each other, but forgive each other. If you feel someone has wronged you, forgive them. Forgive others because the Lord forgave you. 14 Together with these things, the most important part of your new life is to love each other. Love is what holds everything together in perfect unity. 15 Let the peace that Christ gives control your thinking. It is for peace that you were chosen to be together in one body. [ c ] And always be thankful.
16 Let the teaching of Christ live inside you richly. Use all wisdom to teach and counsel each other. Sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 Everything you say and everything you do should be done for Jesus your Lord. And in all you do, give thanks to God the Father through Jesus.
18 Wives, be willing to serve your husbands. This is the right thing to do in following the Lord.
19 Husbands, love your wives, and be gentle to them.
20 Children, obey your parents in everything. This pleases the Lord.
21 Fathers, don’t upset your children. If you are too hard to please, they might want to stop trying.
22 Servants, obey your masters in everything. Obey all the time, even when they can’t see you. Don’t just pretend to work hard so that they will treat you well. No, you must serve your masters honestly because you respect the Lord. 23 In all the work you are given, do the best you can. Work as though you are working for the Lord, not any earthly master. 24 Remember that you will receive your reward from the Lord, who will give you what he promised his people. Yes, you are serving Christ. He is your real Master. [ d ] 25 Remember that anyone who does wrong will be punished for that wrong. And the Lord treats everyone the same.
3 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
6 For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:
7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.
8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;
10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.
12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
18 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.
19 Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.
20 Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.
21 Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.
22 Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God;
23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.
25 But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.
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.
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.
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 ) 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. ( C ) 3 For you died, ( D ) and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your [ a ] life, ( E ) appears, ( F ) then you also will appear with him in glory. ( G )
5 Put 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 ) 6 Because of these, the wrath of God ( M ) is coming. [ b ] 7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. ( N ) 8 But 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 ) 9 Do not lie to each other, ( R ) since you have taken off your old self ( S ) with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, ( T ) which is being renewed ( U ) in knowledge in the image of its Creator. ( V ) 11 Here 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.
12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves ( AA ) with compassion, kindness, humility, ( AB ) gentleness and patience. ( AC ) 13 Bear with each other ( AD ) and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. ( AE ) 14 And over all these virtues put on love, ( AF ) which binds them all together in perfect unity. ( AG )
15 Let 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. 16 Let 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 ) 17 And 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.
18 Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, ( AR ) as is fitting in the Lord.
19 Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.
20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.
21 Fathers, [ c ] do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.
22 Slaves, 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. 23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance ( AS ) from the Lord as a reward. ( AT ) It is the Lord Christ you are serving. 25 Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for their wrongs, and there is no favoritism. ( AU )
