Colossians 3 - 4
Put On the New Man
3Therefore, if you have been araised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, bseated at the right hand of God. 21,aSet your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. 3For you adied and your life has been hidden with Christ in God. 4When Christ, awho is our life, is manifested, bthen you also will be manifested with Him in glory.
5aTherefore, 1consider bthe members of your earthly body as dead to csexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry. 6On account of these things, athe wrath of God is coming 1upon the sons of disobedience, 7and ain them you also once walked, when you were living 1in them. 8But now you also, alay them all aside: bwrath, anger, malice, slander, and cabusive speech from your mouth. 91,aDo not lie to one another, since you bput off the old man with its evil practices, 10and have aput on the new man who is being 1,brenewed to a full knowledge caccording to the image of the One who dcreated him— 11a renewal in which athere is no distinction between Greek and Jew, bcircumcised and uncircumcised, 1,cbarbarian, Scythian, dslave, and freeman, but eChrist is all and in all.
12So, as the aelect of God, holy and beloved, bput on a cheart of compassion, kindness, dhumility, gentleness, and 1,epatience; 13abearing with one another, and bgraciously forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone, cjust as the Lord graciously forgave you, so also should you. 14Above all these things put on love, which is 1,athe perfect bond of bunity. 15And let athe peace of Christ 1rule in your hearts, to which 2indeed you were called in bone body, and 3be thankful. 16Let athe word of 1Christ dwell in you richly, 2with all wisdom bteaching and admonishing 3one another cwith psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, dsinging 4with gratefulness in your hearts to God. 17aAnd whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, bgiving thanks to God the Father through Him.
Family and Work
18aWives, bbe subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19aHusbands, love your wives and do not be embittered against them. 20aChildren, obey your parents in all things, for this is pleasing 1to the Lord. 21aFathers, do not exasperate your children, so that they will not lose heart.
22aSlaves, in all things obey those who are your masters 1according to the flesh, bnot with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but with 2integrity of heart, fearing the Lord. 23Whatever you do, do your work 1heartily, aas for the Lord 2rather than for men, 24aknowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward 1of bthe inheritance. 2,cServe the Lord Christ. 25For ahe who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and 1,bthat without partiality.
Final Instructions and Greetings
4Masters, show to your slaves what is right and fair, aknowing that you too have a Master in heaven.
2aDevote yourselves to prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving; 3praying at the same time afor us as well, that God will open up to us a bdoor for cthe word, so that we may speak dthe mystery of Christ, for which I have also ebeen bound, 4that I may make it amanifest bin the way I ought to speak.
5aWalk in wisdom toward boutsiders, credeeming the time. 6aLet your 1words always be 2with grace, seasoned with bsalt, so that you will know how you should canswer each person.
7aTychicus, our bbeloved brother and faithful servant and fellow slave in the Lord, will make known to you call my affairs, 8awhom I have sent to you for this very purpose, that you may know about our circumstances and that he may bencourage your hearts; 91and with him aOnesimus, our faithful and bbeloved brother, cwho is one of you. They will inform you about the whole situation here.
10aAristarchus, my bfellow prisoner, sends you his greetings; and also Mark, the cousin of cBarnabas (about whom you received 1instructions; dif he comes to you, welcome him); 11and also Jesus who is called Justus. These are the only afellow workers for the kingdom of God bwho are from the circumcision, and they have proved to be a comfort to me. 12aEpaphras, bwho is one of your number, a slave of Christ Jesus, sends you his greetings, always cstriving for you in his prayers, that you may stand 1,dcomplete and efully assured in all the will of God. 13For I testify for him that he has 1a deep concern for you and for those who are in aLaodicea and Hierapolis. 14aLuke, the beloved physician, sends you his greetings, and also bDemas. 15Greet the brothers who are in aLaodicea and also 1Nympha and bthe church that is in 2her house. 16aAnd when 1this letter is read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and you, for your part bread 2my letter that is coming from cLaodicea. 17And say to aArchippus, “Take heed to the bministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may 1fulfill it.”