Colossians, 3

1. Since you have been raised up to be with Christ, you must look for the things that are above, where Christ is, sitting at God's right hand.

1. If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.

2. Let your thoughts be on things above, not on the things that are on the earth,

2. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.

3. because you have died, and now the life you have is hidden with Christ in God.

3. For you have died, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

4. But when Christ is revealed -- and he is your life-you, too, will be revealed with him in glory.

4. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

5. That is why you must kill everything in you that is earthly: sexual vice, impurity, uncontrolled passion, evil desires and especially greed, which is the same thing as worshipping a false god;

5. Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.

6. it is precisely these things which draw God's retribution upon those who resist.

6. On account of these the wrath of God is coming.

7. And these things made up your way of life when you were living among such people,

7. In these you once walked, when you lived in them.

8. but now you also must give up all these things: human anger, hot temper, malice, abusive language and dirty talk;

8. But now put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and foul talk from your mouth.

9. and do not lie to each other. You have stripped off your old behaviour with your old self,

9. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old nature with its practices

10. and you have put on a new self which will progress towards true knowledge the more it is renewed in the image of its Creator;

10. and have put on the new nature, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.

11. and in that image there is no room for distinction between Greek and Jew, between the circumcised and uncircumcised, or between barbarian and Scythian, slave and free. There is only Christ: he is everything and he is in everything.

11. Here there cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scyth'ian, slave, free man, but Christ is all, and in all.

12. As the chosen of God, then, the holy people whom he loves, you are to be clothed in heartfelt compassion, in generosity and humility, gentleness and patience.

12. Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, and patience,

13. Bear with one another; forgive each other if one of you has a complaint against another. The Lord has forgiven you; now you must do the same.

13. forbearing one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.

14. Over all these clothes, put on love, the perfect bond.

14. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

15. And may the peace of Christ reign in your hearts, because it is for this that you were called together in one body. Always be thankful.

15. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful.

16. Let the Word of Christ, in all its richness, find a home with you. Teach each other, and advise each other, in all wisdom. With gratitude in your hearts sing psalms and hymns and inspired songs to God;

16. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teach and admonish one another in all wisdom, and sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

17. and whatever you say or do, let it be in the name of the Lord Jesus, in thanksgiving to God the Father through him.

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.

18. Wives, be subject to your husbands, as you should in the Lord.

18. Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.

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

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

20. Children, be obedient to your parents always, because that is what will please the Lord.

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

21. Parents, do not irritate your children or they will lose heart.

21. Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.

22. Slaves, be obedient in every way to the people who, according to human reckoning, are your masters; not only when you are under their eye, as if you had only to please human beings, but wholeheartedly, out of respect for the Master.

22. Slaves, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing the Lord.

23. Whatever your work is, put your heart into it as done for the Lord and not for human beings,

23. Whatever your task, work heartily, as serving the Lord and not men,

24. knowing that the Lord will repay you by making you his heirs. It is Christ the Lord that you are serving.

24. knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward; you are serving the Lord Christ.

25. Anyone who does wrong will be repaid in kind. For there is no favouritism.

25. For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.