Colossians 2 NLT
8 Don’t let anyone capture you with
empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and
from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ.
9 For in Christ lives all the fullness
of God in a human body.
10 So you also are complete through your
union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.
11 When you came to Christ, you were
“circumcised,” but not by a physical procedure. Christ performed a spiritual
circumcision—the cutting away of your sinful nature.
12 For you were buried with Christ when
you were baptized. And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted
the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead.
13 You were dead because of your sins
and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive
with Christ, for he forgave all our sins.
14 He canceled the record of the charges
against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross.
15 In this way, he disarmed the
spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over
them on the cross.
16 So don’t let anyone condemn you for
what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new moon
ceremonies or Sabbaths.
17 For these rules are only shadows of
the reality yet to come. And Christ himself is that reality.
18 Don’t let anyone condemn you by
insisting on pious self-denial or the worship of angels, saying they have had
visions about these things. Their sinful minds have made them proud,
19 and they are not connected to Christ,
the head of the body. For he holds the whole body together with its joints and
ligaments, and it grows as God nourishes it.
20You have died with Christ, and he has set
you free from the spiritual powers of this world. So why do you keep on
following the rules of the world, such as,
21 “Don’t handle! Don’t taste! Don’t
touch!”?
22 Such rules are mere human teachings
about things that deteriorate as we use them.
23These rules may seem wise
because they require strong devotion, pious self-denial, and severe bodily
discipline. But they provide no help in conquering a person’s evil desires.
Colossians 3 NLT
1 Since you have been raised to new
life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits
in the place of honor at God’s right hand.
2 Think about the things of heaven, not
the things of earth.
3 For you died to this life, and your
real life is hidden with Christ in God.
4 And when Christ, who is your life, is
revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.
5 So put to death the sinful, earthly
things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity,
lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater,
worshiping the things of this world.
6 Because of these sins, the anger of
God is coming.
7 You used to do these things when your
life was still part of this world.
8 But now is the time to get rid of
anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language.
9 Don’t lie to each other, for you have
stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds.
10 Put on your new nature, and be
renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.
11 In this new life, it doesn’t matter
if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric,
uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of
us.
12 Since God chose you to be the holy
people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness,
humility, gentleness, and patience.
13 Make allowance for each other’s
faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so
you must forgive others.
14 Above all, clothe yourselves with
love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.
15 And let the peace that comes from
Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live
in peace. And always be thankful.
16 Let the message about Christ, in all
its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom
he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful
hearts.
17 And whatever you do or say, do it as
a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the
Father.
18 Wives, submit to your husbands, as is
fitting for those who belong to the Lord.
19 Husbands, love your wives and never
treat them harshly.
20 Children, always obey your parents,
for this pleases the Lord.
21Fathers, do not aggravate your children, or
they will become discouraged.
22 Slaves, obey your earthly masters in
everything you do. Try to please them all the time, not just when they are
watching you. Serve them sincerely because of your reverent fear of the Lord.
23 Work willingly at whatever you do, as
though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.
24 Remember that the Lord will give you
an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ.
25 But if you do what
is wrong, you will be paid back for the wrong you have done. For God has no
favorites.
Colossians 4 NLT
1 Masters, be just and fair to your
slaves. Remember that you also have a Master—in heaven.
2 Devote yourselves to prayer with an
alert mind and a thankful heart.
3 Pray for us, too, that God will give
us many opportunities to speak about his mysterious plan concerning Christ.
That is why I am here in chains.
4 Pray that I will proclaim this
message as clearly as I should.
5 Live wisely among those who are not
believers, and make the most of every opportunity.
6 Let your conversation be gracious and
attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone.
7 Tychicus will give you a full report
about how I am getting along. He is a beloved brother and faithful helper who
serves with me in the Lord’s work.
8 I have sent him to you for this very
purpose—to let you know how we are doing and to encourage you.
9 I am also sending Onesimus, a
faithful and beloved brother, one of your own people. He and Tychicus will tell
you everything that’s happening here.
10 Aristarchus, who is in prison with
me, sends you his greetings, and so does Mark, Barnabas’s cousin. As you were
instructed before, make Mark welcome if he comes your way.
11 Jesus (the one we call Justus) also
sends his greetings. These are the only Jewish believers among my co-workers;
they are working with me here for the Kingdom of God. And what a comfort they
have been!
12 Epaphras, a member of your own
fellowship and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends you his greetings. He always
prays earnestly for you, asking God to make you strong and perfect, fully
confident that you are following the whole will of God.
13 I can assure you that he prays hard
for you and also for the believers in Laodicea and Hierapolis.
14 Luke, the beloved doctor, sends his
greetings, and so does Demas.
15 Please give my greetings to our
brothers and sisters at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church that meets in
her house.
16 After you have read this letter, pass
it on to the church at Laodicea so they can read it, too. And you should read
the letter I wrote to them.
17 And say to Archippus, “Be sure to
carry out the ministry the Lord gave you.”
18 HERE IS MY GREETING
IN MY OWN HANDWRITING—PAUL . Remember my chains. May God’s grace be with you.
