Colossians 3-4

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.

Colossians 4

¹The masters! that which is righteous and equal to the servants give ye, having known that ye also have a Master in the heavens.

²In the prayer continue ye, watching in it in thanksgiving;

³praying at the same time also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to speak the secret of the Christ, because of which also I have been bound,

⁴that I may manifest it, as it behoveth me to speak;

⁵in wisdom walk ye toward those without, the time forestalling;

⁶your word always in grace -- with salt being seasoned -- to know how it behoveth you to answer each one.

⁷All the things concerning me make known to you shall Tychicus -- the beloved brother, and faithful ministrant, and fellow-servant in the Lord --

⁸whom I did send unto you for this very thing, that he might know the things concerning you, and might comfort your hearts,

⁹with Onesimus the faithful and beloved brother, who is of you; all things to you shall they make known that are here.

¹⁰Salute you doth Aristarchus, my fellow-captive, and Marcus, the nephew of Barnabas, (concerning whom ye did receive commands -- if he may come unto you receive him,)

¹¹and Jesus who is called Justus, who are of the circumcision: these only are fellow-workers for the reign of God who did become a comfort to me.

¹²Salute you doth Epaphras, who is of you, a servant of Christ, always striving for you in the prayers, that ye may stand perfect and made full in all the will of God,

¹³for I do testify to him, that he hath much zeal for you, and those in Laodicea, and those in Hierapolis.

¹⁴Salute you doth Lukas, the beloved physician, and Demas;

¹⁵salute ye those in Laodicea -- brethren, and Nymphas, and the assembly in his house;

¹⁶and when the epistle may be read with you, cause that also in the assembly of the Laodiceans it may be read, and the epistle from Laodicea that ye also may read;

¹⁷and say to Archippus, ‘See to the ministration that thou didst receive in the Lord, that thou mayest fulfil it.'

¹⁸The salutation by the hand of me, Paul; remember my bonds; the grace is with you. Amen.