Colossians 2–3

²For I want you to know how greatly I strive for you and for those in Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face. ²I want their hearts to be encouraged and united in love, so that they may have all the riches of assured understanding and have the knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ,^{p* 3}in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.^{* 4}I am saying this so that no one may deceive you with plausible arguments. ⁵For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, and I rejoice to see your orderly conduct and the firmness of your faith in Christ.^*

Fullness of Life in Christ

⁶As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to walk in him, ⁷rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.^*

⁸Watch out that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental principles^q of the world, and not according to Christ.^{* 9}For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, ¹⁰and you have come to fullness in him, who is the head of every ruler and authority.^{* 11}In him also you were circumcised with a spiritual circumcision,^r by the removal of the body^s of the flesh in the circumcision of Christ;^{* 12}when you were buried with him in baptism, you were also raised with him through faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.^{* 13}And when you were dead in trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God^t made you^u alive together with him, when he forgave us all our trespasses,^{* 14}erasing the record that stood against us with its legal demands. He set this aside, nailing it to the cross. ¹⁵He disarmed^v the rulers and authorities and made a public example of them, triumphing over them in it.^*

¹⁶Therefore, do not let anyone condemn you in matters of food or^w drink or of observing festivals, new moons, or Sabbaths.^{* 17}These are only a shadow of what is to come, but the body belongs to Christ. ¹⁸Do not let anyone disqualify you, insisting on self-abasement and worship of angels, initiatory visions,^x puffed up without cause by a human way of thinking,^{y 19}and not holding fast to the head, from whom the whole body, nourished and held together by its ligaments and tendons, grows with a growth that is from God.^*

Warnings against False Teachers

²⁰If with Christ you died to the elemental principles^z of the world, why do you live as if you still belonged to the world? Why do you submit to regulations,^{* 21}“Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”? ²²All these regulations refer to things that perish with use; they are simply human commands and teachings.^{* 23}These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-imposed piety, humility, and severe treatment of the body, but they are of no value in checking self-indulgence.^a

The New Life in Christ

³So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.^{* 2}Set your minds on the things that are above, not on the things that are on earth, ³for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.^{* 4}When Christ who is your^b life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory.^*

⁵Put to death, therefore, whatever in you is earthly: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed (which is idolatry).^{* 6}On account of these the wrath of God is coming on those who are disobedient.^{c* 7}These are the ways you also once followed, when you were living that life.^{d 8}But now you must get rid of all such things: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive^e language from your mouth.^{* 9}Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have stripped off the old self with its practices ¹⁰and have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator.^{* 11}In that renewal^f there is no longer Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, enslaved and free, but Christ is all and in all!^*

¹²Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.^{* 13}Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord^g has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. ¹⁴Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. ¹⁵And let the peace of Christ^h rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.^{* 16}Let the word of Christⁱ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God.^{j* 17}And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.^*

Rules for Christian Households

¹⁸Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.^{* 19}Husbands, love your wives and never treat them harshly.

²⁰Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is your acceptable duty in the Lord.^{* 21}Fathers, do not provoke your children, or they may lose heart. ²²Slaves, obey your earthly masters^k in everything, not with a slavery performed merely for looks, to please people, but wholeheartedly, fearing the Lord.^{l* 23}Whatever task you must do, work as if your soul depends on it, as for the Lord and not for humans, ²⁴since you know that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward; you serve the Lord Christ.^{* 25}For the wrongdoer will be paid back for whatever wrong has been done, and there is no partiality.^*