Chapter 3

Put On the New Self

1 Therefore if you have been araised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, bseated at the right hand of God.

2 1aSet your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.

3 For you have adied and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

4 When Christ, awho is our life, is revealed, bthen you also will be revealed with Him in glory.

5 aTherefore 1consider bthe members of your earthly body as dead to 2cimmorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which 3amounts to idolatry.

6 For it is because of these things that athe wrath of God will come 1upon the sons of disobedience,

7 and ain them you also once walked, when you were living 1in them.

8 But now you also, aput them all aside: banger, wrath, malice, slander, and cabusive speech from your mouth.

9 1aDo not lie to one another, since you blaid aside the old 2self with its evil practices,

10 and have aput on the new self who is being 1brenewed to a true knowledge caccording to the image of the One who dcreated him—

11 a renewal in which athere is no distinction between Greek and Jew, bcircumcised and uncircumcised, cbarbarian, Scythian, dslave and freeman, but eChrist is all, and in all.

12 So, as those who have been achosen of God, holy and beloved, bput on a cheart of compassion, kindness, dhumility, gentleness and 1epatience;

13 abearing with one another, and bforgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; bjust as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.

14 Beyond all these things put on love, which is 1athe perfect bond of bunity.

15 Let athe peace of Christ 1rule in your hearts, to which 2indeed you were called in bone body; and 3be thankful.

16 Let athe word of 1Christ richly dwell within you, 2with all wisdom bteaching and admonishing 3one another cwith psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, dsinging 4with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

17 aWhatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, bgiving thanks through Him to God the Father.

Family Relations

18 aWives, bbe subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.

19 aHusbands, love your wives and do not be embittered against them.

20 aChildren, be obedient to your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing 1to the Lord.

21 aFathers, do not exasperate your children, so that they will not lose heart.

22 aSlaves, in all things obey those who are your masters 1on earth, bnot with 2external service, as those who merely please men, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.

23 Whatever you do, do your work 1heartily, aas for the Lord 2rather than for men,

24 aknowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward 1of bthe inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you cserve.

25 For ahe who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and 1bthat without partiality.