Colossians 3-4

Colossians 3

¹If then you have a new life with Christ, give your attention to the things of heaven, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.

²Keep your mind on the higher things, not on the things of earth.

³For your life on earth is done, and you have a secret life with Christ in God.

⁴At the coming of Christ who is our life, you will be seen with him in glory.

⁵Then put to death your bodies which are of the earth; wrong use of the flesh, unclean things, passion, evil desires and envy, which is the worship of strange gods;

⁶Because of which the wrath of God comes on those who go against his orders;

⁷Among whom you were living in the past, when you did such things.

⁸But now it is right for you to put away all these things; wrath, passion, bad feeling, curses, unclean talk;

⁹Do not make false statements to one another; because you have put away the old man with all his doings,

¹⁰And have put on the new man, which has become new in knowledge after the image of his maker;

¹¹Where there is no Greek or Jew, no one with circumcision or without circumcision, no division between nations, no servant or free man: but Christ is all and in all.

¹²As saints of God, then, holy and dearly loved, let your behaviour be marked by pity and mercy, kind feeling, a low opinion of yourselves, gentle ways, and a power of undergoing all things;

¹³Being gentle to one another and having forgiveness for one another, if anyone has done wrong to his brother, even as the Lord had forgiveness for you:

¹⁴And more than all, have love; the only way in which you may be completely joined together.

¹⁵And let the peace of Christ be ruling in your hearts, as it was the purpose of God for you to be one body; and give praise to God at all times.

¹⁶Let the word of Christ be in you in all wealth of wisdom; teaching and helping one another with songs of praise and holy words, making melody to God with grace in your hearts.

¹⁷And whatever you do, in word or in act, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving praise to God the Father through him.

¹⁸Wives, be under the authority of your husbands, as is right in the Lord.

¹⁹Husbands, have love for your wives, and be not bitter against them.

²⁰Children, do the orders of your fathers and mothers in all things, for this is pleasing to the Lord.

²¹Fathers, do not be hard on your children, so that their spirit may not be broken.

²²Servants, in all things do the orders of your natural masters; not only when their eyes are on you, as pleasers of men, but with all your heart, fearing the Lord:

²³Whatever you do, do it readily, as to the Lord and not to men;

²⁴Being certain that the Lord will give you the reward of the heritage: for you are the servants of the Lord Christ.

²⁵For the wrongdoer will have punishment for the wrong he has done, without respect for any man's position.

Colossians 4

¹Masters, give your servants what is right and equal, conscious that you have a Master in heaven.

²Give yourselves to prayer at all times, keeping watch with praise;

³And making prayer for us, that God may give us an open door for the preaching of the word, the secret of Christ, for which I am now in chains;

⁴So that I may make it clear, as it is right for me to do.

⁵Be wise in your behaviour to those who are outside, making good use of the time.

⁶Let your talk be with grace, mixed with salt, so that you may be able to give an answer to everyone.

⁷Tychicus will give you news of all my business: he is a dear brother and true servant and helper in the word;

⁸And I have sent him to you for this very purpose, so that you may have news of how we are, and so that he may give your hearts comfort;

⁹And with him I have sent Onesimus, the true and well-loved brother, who is one of you. They will give you word of everything which is taking place here.

¹⁰Aristarchus, my brother-prisoner, sends his love to you, and Mark, a relation of Barnabas (about whom you have been given orders: if he comes to you, be kind to him),

¹¹And Jesus, whose other name is Justus; these are of the circumcision: they are my only brother-workers for the kingdom of God, who have been a comfort to me.

¹²Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, sends you his love, ever taking thought for you in his prayers, that you may be complete and fully certain of all the purpose of God.

¹³For I give witness of him that he has undergone much trouble for you and for those in Laodicea and in Hierapolis.

¹⁴Luke, our well-loved medical friend, and Demas, send you their love.

¹⁵Give my love to the brothers in Laodicea and to Nymphas and the church in their house.

¹⁶And when this letter has been made public among you, let the same be done in the church of Laodicea; and see that you have the letter from Laodicea.

¹⁷Say to Archippus, See that you do the work which the Lord has given you to do.

¹⁸I, Paul, give you this word of love in my handwriting. Keep in memory that I am a prisoner. Grace be with you.