Colossians 3
1 Therefore, if you be risen with Christ, seek the things that are above; where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God:
If however you have risen with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, enthroned at God's right hand.
2 Mind the things that are above, not the things that are upon the earth.
Give your minds to the things that are above, not to the things that are on the earth.
3 For you are dead; and your life is hid with Christ in God.
For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
4 When Christ shall appear, who is your life, then you also shall appear with him in glory.
When Christ appears--He is our true Life--then you also will appear with Him in glory.
5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, lust, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is the service of idols.
Therefore put to death your earthward inclinations--fornication, impurity, sensual passion, unholy desire, and all greed, for that is a form of idolatry.
6 For which things the wrath of God cometh upon the children of unbelief,
It is on account of these very sins that God's anger is coming,
7 In which you also walked some time, when you lived in them.
and you also were once addicted to them, while you were living under their power.
8 But now put you also all away: anger, indignation, malice, blasphemy, filthy speech out of your mouth.
But now you must rid yourselves of every kind of sin--angry and passionate outbreaks, ill-will, evil speaking, foul-mouthed abuse--so that these may never soil your lips.
9 Lie not one to another: stripping yourselves of the old man with his deeds,
Do not speak falsehoods to one another, for you have stripped off the old self with its doings,
10 And putting on the new, him who is renewed unto knowledge, according to the image of him that created him.
and have clothed yourselves with the new self which is being remoulded into full knowledge so as to become like Him who created it.
11 Where there is neither Gentile nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian nor Scythian, bond nor free. But Christ is all, and in all.
In that new creation there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free man, but Christ is everything and is in all of us.
12 Put ye on therefore, as the elect of God, holy, and beloved, the bowels of mercy, benignity, humility, modesty, patience:
Clothe yourselves therefore, as God's own people holy and dearly loved, with tender-heartedness, kindness, lowliness of mind, meekness, long-suffering;
13 Bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if any have a complaint against another: even as the Lord hath forgiven you, so do you also.
bearing with one another and readily forgiving each other, if any one has a grievance against another. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, you also must forgive.
14 But above all these things have charity, which is the bond of perfection:
And over all these put on love, which is the perfect bond of union;
15 And let the peace of Christ rejoice in your hearts, wherein also you are called in one body: and be ye thankful.
and let the peace which Christ gives settle all questionings in your hearts, to which peace indeed you were called as belonging to His one Body; and be thankful.
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you abundantly, in all wisdom: teaching and admonishing one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual canticles, singing in grace in your hearts to God.
Let the teaching concerning Christ remain as a rich treasure in your hearts. In all wisdom teach and admonish one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, and sing with grace in your hearts to God.
17 All whatsoever you do in word or in work, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, and let it be through Him that you give thanks to God the Father.
18 Wives, be subject to your husbands, as it behoveth in the Lord.
Married women, be submissive to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
19 Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter towards them.
Married men, be affectionate to your wives, and do not treat them harshly.
20 Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing to the Lord.
Children be obedient to your parents in everything; for that is right for Christians.
21 Fathers, provoke not your children to indignation, lest they be discouraged.
Fathers, do not fret and harass your children, or you may make them sullen and morose.
22 Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not serving to the eye, as pleasing men, but in simplicity of heart, fearing God.
Slaves, be obedient in everything to your earthly masters; not in acts of eye service, as aiming only to please men, but with simplicity of purpose, because you fear the Lord.
23 Whatsoever you do, do it from the heart, as to the Lord, and not to men:
Whatever you are doing, let your hearts be in your work, as a thing done for the Lord and not for men.
24 Knowing that you shall receive of the Lord the reward of inheritance. Serve ye the Lord Christ.
For you know that it is from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. Christ is the Master whose bondservants you are.
25 For he that doth wrong, shall receive for that which he hath done wrongfully: and there is no respect of persons with God.
The man who perpetrates a wrong will find the wrong repaid to him; and with God there are no merely earthly distinctions.
