Epistle to the Colossians - The New Testament

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.

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

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

⁴ But when Christ is revealed -- and he is your life-you, too, will be revealed 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;

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

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

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

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

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;

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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;

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.

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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