Colossians 3

¹ Since you have been raised up to be with Christ, you must look for the things that are above, whereChrist 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, wil be revealed with him in glory.

⁵ That is why you must kill everything in you that is earthly: sexual vice, impurity, uncontrol ed 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 al these things: human anger, hot temper, malice, abusive language anddirty 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 inthe image of its Creator;

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

¹² As the chosen of God, then, the holy people whom he loves, you are to be clothed in heartfeltcompassion, 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 hasforgiven you; now you must do the same.

¹⁴ Over al 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 cal ed together inone body. Always be thankful.

¹⁶ Let the Word of Christ, in al its richness, find a home with you. Teach each other, and advise eachother, in al 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 Fatherthrough 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 ofrespect 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 wil repay you by making you his heirs. It is Christ the Lord that you are serving.

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