The Life of the New Man

3 So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.^{(A) 2} Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.^{(B) 3} For you died,^(C) and your life is hidden with Christ in God. ⁴ When Christ, who is your^[a] life, appears,^(D) then you also will appear with him in glory.^(E)

⁵ Therefore, put to death what belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity,^(F) lust,^(G) evil desire, and greed,^(H) which is idolatry.^{(I) 6} Because of these, God’s wrath^(J) is coming upon the disobedient,^{[b] 7} and you once walked in these things when you were living^(K) in them. ⁸ But now, put away^(L) all the following: anger,^(M) wrath,^(N) malice,^(O) slander,^(P) and filthy language from your mouth.^{(Q) 9} Do not lie^(R) to one another, since you have put off^(S) the old self^(T) with its practices ¹⁰ and have put on^(U) the new self. You are being renewed in knowledge according to the image of your^[c] Creator.^{(V) 11} In Christ there is not Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all.^(W)

The Christian Life

¹² Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and dearly loved,^(X) put on compassion, kindness,^(Y) humility,^(Z) gentleness,^(AA) and patience,^{(AB) 13} bearing with one another and forgiving one another if anyone has a grievance against another. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you are also to forgive.^{(AC) 14} Above all, put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. ¹⁵ And let the peace of Christ, to which you were also called^(AD) in one body, rule your hearts. And be thankful. ¹⁶ Let the word of Christ dwell richly among you, in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs,^[d] singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. ¹⁷ And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name^(AE) of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Living the New Life

¹⁷ Therefore, I say this and testify in the Lord: You should no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thoughts. ¹⁸ They are darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them and because^[a] of the hardness of their hearts. ¹⁹ They became callous and gave themselves over to promiscuity for the practice of every kind of impurity^(A) with a desire for more and more.^[b]

²⁰ But that is not how you came to know Christ, ²¹ assuming you heard about him and were taught by him, as the truth^(B) is in Jesus, ²² to take off^[c](C) your former way of life,^(D) the old self^(E) that is corrupted by deceitful desires, ²³ to be renewed^[d] in the spirit^(F) of your minds, ²⁴ and to put on^[e](G) the new self, the one created^(H) according to God’s likeness^(I) in righteousness and purity of the truth.

²⁵ Therefore, putting away^(J) lying, speak the truth, each one to his neighbor,^[f](K) because we are members of one another. ²⁶ Be angry and do not sin.^[g](L) Don’t let the sun go down on your anger, ²⁷ and don’t give the devil an opportunity. ²⁸ Let the thief no longer steal. Instead, he is to do honest work with his own hands, so that he has something to share^(M) with anyone in need. ²⁹ No foul language should come from your mouth, but only what is good for building up someone in need,^[h] so that it gives grace to those who hear. ³⁰ And don’t grieve God’s Holy Spirit.^(N) You were sealed by him^[i] for the day of redemption.^{(O) 31} Let all bitterness, anger and wrath, shouting and slander be removed from you, along with all malice. ³² And be kind^(P) and compassionate^(Q) to one another, forgiving^(R) one another, just as God also forgave you^[j] in Christ.

¹⁶ These are the things you must do: Speak truth to one another; make true and sound decisions within your city gates. ¹⁷ Do not plot evil^(A) in your hearts against your neighbor,^(B) and do not love perjury,^(C) for I hate all this”—this is the Lord’s declaration.