Colossians 3

¹If, then, ye were raised with the Christ, the things above seek ye, where the Christ is, on the right hand of God seated, ²the things above mind ye, not the things upon the earth, ³for ye did die, and your life hath been hid with the Christ in God; ⁴when the Christ—our life—may be manifested, then also we with him shall be manifested in glory.

⁵Put to death, then, your members that are upon the earth—whoredom, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and the covetousness, which is idolatry— ⁶because of which things cometh the anger of God upon the sons of the disobedience, ⁷in which also ye—ye did walk once, when ye lived in them.

⁸But now put off, even ye, the whole—anger, wrath, malice, evil-speaking, filthy talking—out of your mouth. ⁹Lie not one to another, having put off the old man with his practices, ¹⁰and having put on the new, which is renewed in regard to knowledge, after the image of Him who did create him; ¹¹where there is not Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, foreigner, Scythian, servant, freeman—but the all and in all—Christ.

¹²Put on, therefore, as choice ones of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humble-mindedness, meekness, long-suffering, ¹³forbearing one another, and forgiving each other, if any one with any one may have a quarrel, as also the Christ did forgive you—so also ye; ¹⁴and above all these things, have love, which is a bond of the perfection, ¹⁵and let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also ye were called in one body, and become thankful. ¹⁶Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing each other, in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs, in grace singing in your hearts to the Lord; ¹⁷and all, whatever ye may do in word or in work, do all things in the name of the Lord Jesus—giving thanks to the God and Father, through him.

¹⁸The wives! be subject to your own husbands, as is fit in the Lord; ¹⁹the husbands! love your wives, and be not bitter with them; ²⁰the children! obey the parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing to the Lord; ²¹the fathers! vex not your children, lest they be discouraged. ²²The servants! obey in all things those who are masters according to the flesh, not in eye-service as men-pleasers, but in simplicity of heart, fearing God; ²³and all, whatever ye may do—out of soul work—as to the Lord, and not to men, ²⁴having known that from the Lord ye shall receive the recompense of the inheritance—for the Lord Christ ye serve; ²⁵and he who is doing unrighteously shall receive what he did unrighteously, and there is no acceptance of persons.

Chapter 4