Colossians 3 (BHT-ATN)

““It Is the Things Above on which You Are to Set Your Hearts”

1 In light of these things, if you have been “raised” with the Messiah, it is the things above on which you are to set your hearts, where the Messiah is seated at the very right hand of God.+ 2 It is the things above on which you must set your minds, not the evil ways of the earth.+ 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with the Messiah in God. 4 When the Messiah appears, who is your life, then you, too, will yourselves appear with him in glory.+

5 Put to death, therefore, as sacrifices, anything in you that is of the sinful ways of the earth: Sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these things+ the wrath of God is going to come upon those who refuse to obey God,+ 7 in whose way of life you yourselves shared at one time,+ when you were living that life.+ 8 Now, however, you must take off, like old clothes, all such things as these: Anger, rage, malice, slander,+ and filthy language from your mouths. 9 Don’t deal deceitfully with one another,+ since you took off your former nature+ with its evil practices 10 and became clothed with the new nature,+ which is being renewed in true knowledge+ in the image of the one who created it. 11 In this renewal+ the same new life is at work in people irrespective of whether they are Gentiles+ or Jews, circumcised or uncircumcised, unrefined barbarians, utter pagans and savages,+ slave or free;+ the Messiah is everything, and dwells in people of indeed every kind.+

12 Therefore, as people chosen by God, set apart+ and dearly loved, put on your “new clothes”—a heart of mercy and compassion,+ kindness, humility, meekness, and patience— 13 bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if one person should have a grievance against someone else. Just as the Lord himself forgave you, so you, too, must forgive. 14 And over all these things+ put on love, which is the bond that holds everything together in perfect unity;+ 15 let the peace of the Messiah be the decisive factor+ in your hearts and thoughts,+ the peace to which you were summoned as parts of one body.+ And be thankful. 16 Let the message+ about the Messiah+ dwell in+ you richly, teaching and admonishing one another with indeed wisdom of all kinds,+ singing in your hearts to God with psalms, hymns, and songs of the Spirit, with thankfulness. 17 And whatever you say or do,+ do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

18 Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is appropriate in union with the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives, and don’t be bitter toward them.+

20 Children, obey your parents in all respects, for this is very pleasing to God in union with the Lord. 21 Fathers, don’t make your children resentful. If they can never please you, they may become too discouraged to keep trying.+

22 Slaves, obey in all respects your human masters,+ fulfilling your duties not only when they are watching you, as men-pleasers,+ but with a sincere heart, fearing the Lord. 23 Whatever work you do, it is from the heart that you are to do it, as though you were serving the Lord and not mere men, 24 knowing that it is the Lord from whom you will receive the inheritance as your reward. It is the Lord, the Messiah, to whom you are truly rendering your service. 25 The evildoer, you see, will be paid back for the wrongs he committed; God judges all people by the same standard.+

+1:2Unless otherwise marked (through superscript— ˢyou), all second person pronouns are in the second person plural.+1:4Lit the holy ones/saints.+1:5Or previously heard.+1:5Or the hope of which you learned when you previously heard the word of the truth. Lit which you first heard/heard previously in/through the word of the truth. ME (see UBSHS [Col], 9).+1:6Or came to know.+1:6Or in truth, or truly.+1:7Or trustworthy.+1:8Or in, or by.+1:9Or in, or with.+1:10Lit to all desire to pleasing. ME (see BDAG, 129, sv ἀρεσκεία).+1:12Lit the holy ones/saints.+1:12Cf Ac 26:15-18.+1:13Lit who.+1:13Or to the kingdom. The contrast with ἐκ τῆς ἐξουσίας τοῦ σκότους ( ek tēs exousias tou skotous) indicates that βασιλεία ( basileia) here is referring to the Messianic authority described in passages like Mt 28:18 and Eph 1:20-23 (exercised to prepare the saints to inherit the coming Kingdom of the Messiah), rather than to the Messianic Kingdom somehow being “realized.”+1:13Cf Mt 28:18-20; Eph 1:20-23; Php 3:20.+1:14Lit in whom we have the redemption. Maintaining consistency in translation with Eph 1:7.+1:15Lit who. “Son” is the antecedent here.+1:15Cf Ps 89:27; Rm 8:29; Heb 1:6; Re 1:5.+1:17Or in him.+1:18Or in everything. Cf Mt 28:18.+1:19Lit For in him he gladly chose all the fullness to dwell, or in him all the fullness gladly chose to dwell. ME (see BDAG, 829, sv 3.b.; UBSHS [Eph], 88; UBSHS [Col], 27). Cf TEV.+1:21Or resulting in evil deeds, or because you did evil things. Cf NET, REB.+1:22Lit in the body of the flesh of him through death. ME (see FBT Chart C, F, G, I, M, N; notes at Rm 8:3; UBSHS [Col], 32). The first preposition is interpreted as signaling accompanying circumstance (see ESS [Col], interpretation 2; cf NASB, NJB, NLT, NRSV). This is also reflected in the translation. Cf Rm 8:3; Php 2:6-11; Heb 2:9.+1:22Lit holy. ME/IT (see Timothy Miller, “Paul’s Priestly Mission and Salvation from the Coming Wrath: A Missiological Probe of Romans 15:16 and the Question of Divine Anger through the Worldview of Leviticus” [PhD diss., Columbia International University, 2024]).+1:22Or in his sight, or before him.+1:23Or continue in the faith, or continue in your faith.+1:23Lit in all creation under the sky. ME (see BDAG, 572, sv κτίσις 2.a.; Ibid, 737, sv οὐρανός, 1.b.; UBSHS [Col], 34). Cf NLT.+1:24Lit and I fill up what is lacking/absent of the of the afflictions of the Messiah in my flesh. ME (see BDAG, 1044, ὑστέρημα 1; ESS [1 Co], 373). Cf translation and notes at 1 Co 16:17 and Php 2:30. “Flesh” is translated according to “Flesh” C, G (see FBT Chart). Cf 2 Co 2:12-17, 4:7-18.+1:24Cf 1 Co 4:6, 11:1.+1:25Or to make the word of God fully known.+1:26Or kept hidden from the spiritual powers. Maintaining consistency in translation with Eph 3:9.+1:27Or among.+1:27Cf Eph 3:6.+1:28Or mature.+1:28Cf Rm 1:14; 2 Co 11:2; Eph 4:13.+2:1Or how intense a fight it is that I am fighting. Lit the fight I have, or the contest I have.+2:1Lit and as many has have not seen my face in the flesh. ME (see BDAG, 887, sv πρόσωπον 1.b.; UBSHS [Col], 44). Cf CJB, NIV, NLT, TEV.+2:2Or having been joined together.+2:2Cf 1 Ti 1:5-6.+2:2Lit and for all the riches of the full conviction/certainty/assurance of the understanding, for the full/true/accurate/certain knowledge of the mystery of God. ME (see L-N, 31.45). Cf NLT. The information in the genitive is highly compressed here. The context, however (“I tell you this so that no one may deceive you...” [v 4, NIV, emphasis mine]), makes it clear what Paul means here: “I want the example of my life to result in you being so convinced of the truth of the gospel that you have received and come to understand, that you aren’t led astray from it.” If the second εἰς ( eis) clause is functioning as an amplification of the preceding clause (see interpretation 1 in ESS [Col], 116), as seems to be the case, then the prepositional prefix attached to “knowledge” (ἐπίγνωσις [ epignōsis]) does carry significance (ie, full/certain knowledge), since πληροφορία [ plērophoria] (“full certainty/conviction”) is used there. All of these factors have been taken into account in the translation here.+2:4Cf CJB, TEV; L-N, 33.31.+2:5Lit in the flesh. ME. Cf NCV and NLT at 1 Co 5:3.+2:5Or in the Spirit.+2:6Lit so in him walk. ME (see BDAG, 803, sv περιπατέω 2). Cf NET.+2:7“As you still are” is drawn from the perfect tense of the participle here.+2:7Or in your faith, or in the faith.+2:8Or according to the basic principles of the world. Lit according to the elemental spirits of the world, or according to the elemental things of the world. ME(H/OTB) (see translation and notes at Ga 4:3, 9). Cf TEV.+2:10Cf Eph 3:19.+2:11Or by the taking off. The preposition here (ἐν [ en]) has been interpreted as signaling attendant circumstance (see L-N, 89.80; cf Ga 3:27). This is reflected in the translation. Cf NLT.+2:11The picture here is of taking off clothing (see BSL, Col 2:11, sv ἀπέκδυσις). Cf Ga 3:27+2:11Lit the body of the flesh. ME (see translation and notes at Rm 7:5; FBT Chart, O, P). Cf Ga 3:27; Eph 4:22-24; Col 3:10-12. Cf also CJB, ISV, NCV, NIV, NLT, TEV.+2:11Or by the circumcision.+2:13Maintaining consistency in translation here with Eph 2:1 and Col 1:21 (see translation and notes in those places).+2:13Lit in the uncircumcision of your flesh. ME (see BDAG, 39, sv ἀκροβυστία 2; UBSHS [Col], 59). Cf Eph 2:1-12, 4:17-24; 1 Th 4:1-8.+2:13Lit with him.+2:14Maintaining consistency in translation with Eph 2:15 (see translation and notes there).+2:14Lit it.+2:15Cf 2 Co 5:1-4.+2:15Or exposed to public disgrace.+2:15Or Stripping the rulers and authorities of their power, God made a public example of them; Or Divesting himself of the rulers and the authorities, the Messiah made a public example of them.+2:15Or leading them as captives in his victory procession, or exhibiting them in triumph. Cf 2 Co 2:14.+2:15Or on the cross, or through him (if God is the subject), or through himself (if the Messiah is the subject). Lit by/on/at it, or through him (or himself).+2:16Cf Nu 10:10, 28:11-15; 1 Sm 20:5; Ne 10:33; Ps 81:3; Is 1:13-14; Ho 2:11; Am 8:5; Ga 4:10.+2:16Cf Ga 4:10.+2:17Lit which.+2:17Or the thing itself, or the substance. Lit the body. ME (see L-N, 58.66). Cf most English translations.+2:18Or insisting on.+2:18Or in false humility, or in self-mortification, or in asceticism.+2:18Or angelic worship.+2:18Or taking his stand on.+2:18Lit the mind of his flesh, or his mind of the flesh. ME (see BDAG, 915, sv σάρξ 2.c.α.; FBT Chart, H). Cf NLT. “Flesh” has been interpreted as an attributive genitive. This is reflected in the translation. Cf most English translations.+2:20Or from the basic principles of the world. Lit from the elemental spirits of the world, or from the elemental things of the world. ME (H/OTB) (see translation and notes at Ga 4:3, 9).+2:22Lit used up, or consumed. ME (see UBSHS [Col], 71).+2:22Cf ESV, NASB.+2:23Or in self-made religion.+2:23Or in false humility, or in self-mortification, or in asceticism.+2:23Lit against gratification/indulgence/satisfaction of the flesh. ME (see UBSHS [Col], 73). Cf NCV, NLT, TEV. Translating “flesh” according to “Flesh” O, P (see FBT Chart).+3:1Cf Php 3:20-21.+3:2Lit the things on the earth. ME (see translation and notes at Php 3:19). The meaning is the same here.+3:4Cf Jn 17:20-21; Rm 6:10, 8:16-18; Ga 2:19; 1 Jn 1:3.+3:6Lit because of which.+3:6Lit the sons of disobedience. ME(I/F) (see translation and notes at Eph 2:2). Some important manuscripts lack “sons of disobedience.” For discussion, see NET Bible Notes, Col 3:6. Cf Eph 2:2, 5:6; 1 Th 4:1-8.+3:7Lit among whom you also walked once. ME (see BDAG, 803, sv περιπατέω 2; NET Bible Notes, Col 3:7).+3:7Lit when you were living in these things. ME. Cf NRSV.+3:8Or blasphemy.+3:9Or Don’t lie to one another. Cf LES at Lv 6:2. Cf also translation and notes at 1 Th 4:5-6.+3:9Or self, or humanity. Lit man.+3:10Cf Ga 3:27.+3:10Or full knowledge, or knowledge.+3:11Lit where. ME. Cf NASB, NRSV.+3:11Lit Greek. ME. Cf CJB, NLT, TEV.+3:11Lit Scythian. ME(H) (see BDAG, 932, Σκύθης; DBL Greek, #5033). Cf CJB, NLT, TEV.+3:11Lit Here there is no Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave, freeman. ME (see translation and notes at Ga 3:28).+3:11Or is in all things. See notes at Col 1:28. The same is true of πᾶς ( pas) in this context, where different types of human beings are explicitly mentioned.+3:12Or holy.+3:12Lit bowels of compassion/mercy. ME(I/F) (see BDAG, 938, sv σπλάγχνον; L-N, 26.11).+3:14Or in addition to all these things, or above all these things.+3:14Or in perfect harmony. Lit which is the bond of perfection. ME (see BDAG, 966, sv σύνδεσμος 2). Cf ESV, NRSV, RSV.+3:15Drawing from BDAG in the translation of βραβευέτω ( brabeuetō) here (see BDAG, 183, sv).+3:15Lit hearts. ME(H) (see notes at Mk 3:5; Rm 1:21). Cf CEV.+3:15Lit in one body. ME. Cf CJB, NIV, NLT.+3:16Or word, or teaching.+3:16Or the Messiah’s message/teaching.+3:16Or among.+3:16Cf Col 1:28.+3:17Lit And whatever you do in word or in deed. ME (see UBSHS [Col], 91). Cf NCV, NLT, TEV.+3:19Or harsh with them.+3:21Lit lest they become disheartened. ME (see L-N, 25.292; UBSHS [Col], 94). Cf NCV.+3:22Lit your masters according to the flesh. ME. Translated according to “Flesh N” (see FBT Chart). Cf CJB, HCSB, TEV.+3:22Lit not in eye-service as men-pleasers. ME (see translation and notes at Eph 6:6).+3:25Lit there is no accepting a face. ME(I/F) (see translation and notes at Rm 2:11). Cf NCV, TEV.