Colossians 3
Expanded Bible
Your New Life in Christ
3 [L Therefore] Since you were ·raised from the dead [L raised] with Christ, ·aim at [aspire to; seek after; focus on] ·what is in heaven [L the things above], where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God. 2 ·Think only about [Set your minds on; Fix your thoughts on] the things ·in heaven [L above], not the things on earth. 3 [L For] ·Your old sinful self has [L You] died, and your new life is ·kept [hidden] with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your[a] life, ·comes again [appears; L is revealed], you will ·share in his [L be revealed with him in] glory.
5 So put all ·evil [earthly; worldly] things ·out of your life [L to death]: sexual sinning, ·doing evil [impurity; defilement], ·letting evil thoughts control you [lust; passion], ·wanting things that are evil [selfish desires], and greed, which is ·serving a false god [idolatry]. 6 Because of these things, God’s ·judgment [anger; wrath] is coming.[b] 7 You also used to ·do these things [live/walk this way] when you were ·part of the world [L living among/in them].
8 But now also put these things out of your life: anger, ·bad temper [rage], ·hatred [malice; evil], ·saying things to hurt others [slander; blasphemy], and ·using evil words [abusive/filthy/obscene language] ·when you talk [L from your mouth]. 9 Do not lie to each other. You have ·left [taken/stripped off; or disarmed; 2:15] your old ·sinful life [self; person; man] and ·the things you did before [L its deeds/practices]. 10 You have ·begun to live the new life [L put on the new person/man], in which you are being ·made new [renewed] in ·the true knowledge of God [L knowledge] ·and are becoming like [L according to the image of] the One who created you [Gen. 1:26–27]. 11 In the new life there is no difference between Greeks and Jews, those who are circumcised and those who are not circumcised, or ·people who are foreigners [barbarians], or Scythians [C from the northern coast of the Black Sea, considered uncivilized and violent]. There is no difference between slaves and free people. But Christ is ·all that is important and is in all believers [L all and in all].
12 ·God loves you and has chosen you and made you his holy people. So [L As God’s chosen, holy and beloved ones; Ex. 19:6; 1 Pet. 2:9] you should always clothe yourselves with ·mercy [L a heart of compassion], kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 ·Bear with [Make allowances for; Be patient with] each other, and forgive each other. If someone ·does wrong to you [L has a grievance/complaint against someone], forgive that person because the Lord forgave you. 14 ·Even more than all this [Above all], clothe yourself in love, which ·holds you all together in perfect unity [or binds everything together; L is the bond of perfection/completeness]. 15 Let the peace ·that Christ gives [of Christ] ·control [rule; arbitrate] your ·thinking [hearts], because you were all called together in one body [C the church as the body of Christ] to have peace. Always be thankful. 16 Let the ·teaching [message; word] of Christ ·live in [or dwell among] you richly. Use all wisdom to teach and ·instruct [warn; admonish] each other by singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with ·thankfulness [gratitude; grace] in your hearts to God. 17 Everything you do or say should be done ·to obey [or as a representative of; L in the name of] the Lord Jesus. And in all you do, give thanks to God the Father through Jesus.
Your New Life with Other People
18 Wives, ·yield to the authority of [submit to] your husbands, because this is ·the right thing to do [appropriate; fitting] in the Lord [Eph. 5:22–24; 1 Pet. 3:1–6].
19 Husbands, love your wives and ·be gentle with [L don’t be harsh toward/embittered against] them [Eph. 5:25–33; 1 Pet. 3:7].
20 Children, obey your parents in all things, because this pleases the Lord [Eph. 6:1–3].
21 Fathers [or Parents; Heb. 11:23], do not ·nag [aggravate; exasperate; provoke] your children [Eph. 6:4]. If you are too hard to please, they may ·want to stop trying [become discouraged; lose heart].
22 ·Slaves [Bondservants], obey your ·human [earthly] masters in all things [Eph. 6:5–9; 1 Pet. 2:18–25]. Do not obey just ·when they are watching you [L with eye-service], ·to gain their favor [L as people-pleasers], but serve them ·honestly [with a sincere heart], because you ·respect [reverence; fear] the Lord [Prov. 1:7]. 23 In all the work you are doing, ·work the best you can [do it heart and soul; L from the soul]. Work as if you were doing it for the Lord, not for people. 24 ·Remember [L …knowing] that you will receive from the Lord the reward ·which he promised to his people [L of an inheritance]. You are serving the Lord Christ. 25 But remember that anyone who does wrong will be ·punished [repaid] for that wrong, and ·the Lord treats everyone the same [L there is no favoritism/partiality].
Footnotes
- Colossians 3:4 your Some Greek copies read “our.”
- Colossians 3:6 Because… coming Some Greek copies continue, “against the people who do not obey God.”
Colossians 3
King James Version
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.
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