Colossians 3:1–25

Living as Those Made Alive in Christ

3Since, then, you have been raised with Christ,^u set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.^{v 2}Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.^{w 3}For you died,^x and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. ⁴When Christ, who is your^a life,^y appears,^z then you also will appear with him in glory.^a

⁵Put to death,^b therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature:^c sexual immorality,^d impurity, lust, evil desires and greed,^e which is idolatry.^{f 6}Because of these, the wrath of God^g is coming.^{b 7}You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived.^{h 8}But now you must also rid yourselvesⁱ of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander,^j and filthy language from your lips.^{k 9}Do not lie to each other,^l since you have taken off your old self^m with its practices ¹⁰and have put on the new self,ⁿ which is being renewed^o in knowledge in the image of its Creator.^{p 11}Here there is no Gentile or Jew,^q circumcised or uncircumcised,^r barbarian, Scythian, slave or free,^s but Christ is all,^t and is in all.

¹²Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves^u with compassion, kindness, humility,^v gentleness and patience.^{w 13}Bear with each other^x and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.^{y 14}And over all these virtues put on love,^z which binds them all together in perfect unity.^a

¹⁵Let the peace of Christ^b rule in your hearts, since as members of one body^c you were called to peace.^d And be thankful. ¹⁶Let the message of Christ^e dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom^f through psalms,^g hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.^{h 17}And whatever you do,ⁱ whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks^j to God the Father through him.

Instructions for Christian Households

3:18–4:1pp—Eph 5:22–6:9

¹⁸Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands,^k as is fitting in the Lord.

¹⁹Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.

²⁰Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.

²¹Fathers,^c do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.

²²Slaves, 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. ²³Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, ²⁴since you know that you will receive an inheritance^l from the Lord as a reward.^m It is the Lord Christ you are serving. ²⁵Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for their wrongs, and there is no favoritism.ⁿ