COL 3:1-17

Put On the New Self

1If then you were raised with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. [3:2] Set your minds on the things above, not on the things on the earth. [3:3] For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. [3:4] When Christ, who is your life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory. [3:5] Put to death, therefore, your members that are on the earth: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness — which is idolatry. [3:6] On account of these things the wrath of God is coming. [3:7] In these you also once walked when you were living in them. [3:8] But now you also must put away all these things: anger, rage — that quick, flaring outburst — malice, slander, and shameful speech from your mouth. [3:9] Do not lie to one another, since you stripped off the old self with its practices [3:10] and put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator. [3:11] Here there is no Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, or free — but Christ is all and in all. [3:12] Put on, therefore, as God's chosen ones, holy and dearly loved: compassionate inward parts, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. [3:13] Bearing with one another and forgiving each other — if anyone has a complaint against another, just as the Lord forgave you, so also you. [3:14] And over all these things put on love, which is the bond of completeness. [3:15] And let the peace of Christ act as arbiter in your hearts — to which you were also called in one body — and be thankful. [3:16] Let the word of Christ dwell richly in you, in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to God. [3:17] And everything — whatever you do in word or in deed — do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

In the world it was spoken into

In the Greco-Roman world, the body was often seen as a battleground for moral and ethical conduct, particularly in philosophical and religious contexts. The language of 'putting to death' bodily vices like sexual immorality, impurity, and evil desire reflects Stoic and Jewish ethical teachings that emphasized self-control and purity. The metaphor of 'putting on the new self' would resonate with listeners familiar with the Roman practice of changing garments to signify a new role or status, such as during manumission or religious initiation. The mention of idolatry in connection with covetousness underscores the Jewish critique of Greco-Roman materialism, where wealth and status were often tied to pagan practices. The 'wrath of God' evokes Jewish apocalyptic expectations of divine judgment against sin. The call to 'set your minds on things above' contrasts with the earthly preoccupations of honor, wealth, and power that dominated Roman society, urging a reorientation toward divine priorities.

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How other translations render this

COL 3:1

KJV: If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
BSB: Therefore, since you have been raised with Christ, strive for the things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
Koinōnos: If then you were raised with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.

COL 3:2

KJV: Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
BSB: Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
Koinōnos: Set your minds on the things above, not on the things on the earth.

COL 3:3

KJV: For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
BSB: For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.
Koinōnos: For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

COL 3:4

KJV: When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
BSB: When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.
Koinōnos: When Christ, who is your life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory.

COL 3:5

KJV: Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
BSB: Put to death, therefore, the components of your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry.
Koinōnos: Put to death, therefore, your members that are on the earth: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness — which is idolatry.

COL 3:6

KJV: For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:
BSB: Because of these, the wrath of God is coming on the sons of disobedience.
Koinōnos: On account of these things the wrath of God is coming.

COL 3:7

KJV: In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.
BSB: When you lived among them, you also used to walk in these ways.
Koinōnos: In these you also once walked when you were living in them.

COL 3:8

KJV: But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
BSB: But now you must put aside all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.
Koinōnos: But now you also must put away all these things: anger, rage — that quick, flaring outburst — malice, slander, and shameful speech from your mouth.

COL 3:9

KJV: Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;
BSB: Do not lie to one another, since you have taken off the old self with its practices,
Koinōnos: Do not lie to one another, since you stripped off the old self with its practices

COL 3:10

KJV: And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
BSB: and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.
Koinōnos: and put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator.

COL 3:11

KJV: Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.
BSB: Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, or free, but Christ is all and is in all.
Koinōnos: Here there is no Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, or free — but Christ is all and in all.

COL 3:12

KJV: Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
BSB: Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with hearts of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
Koinōnos: Put on, therefore, as God's chosen ones, holy and dearly loved: compassionate inward parts, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.

COL 3:13

KJV: Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
BSB: Bear with one another and forgive any complaint you may have against someone else. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
Koinōnos: Bearing with one another and forgiving each other — if anyone has a complaint against another, just as the Lord forgave you, so also you.

COL 3:14

KJV: And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
BSB: And over all these virtues put on love, which is the bond of perfect unity.
Koinōnos: And over all these things put on love, which is the bond of completeness.

COL 3:15

KJV: And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
BSB: Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, for to this you were called as members of one body. And be thankful.
Koinōnos: And let the peace of Christ act as arbiter in your hearts — to which you were also called in one body — and be thankful.

COL 3:16

KJV: Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
BSB: Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.
Koinōnos: Let the word of Christ dwell richly in you, in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to God.

COL 3:17

KJV: And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
BSB: And whatever you do, in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
Koinōnos: And everything — whatever you do in word or in deed — do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.

Translator's notes

COL 3:5

members:The word translated 'members' refers to the physical parts of the body, emphasizing that these earthly desires are as integral to one's being as limbs are to a body.

COL 3:8

rage,:The term translated 'rage' describes a passionate, intense outburst of anger that quickly flares up and often just as quickly subsides, like a fire.

COL 3:12

hearts:The word translated 'hearts' literally refers to the inward parts or entrails, which were considered the seat of emotions and deep affections in ancient thought, not just the organ for pumping blood.

COL 3:15

should rule:The word translated 'should rule' comes from the context of an umpire or arbiter in athletic contests, suggesting that peace should be the decisive factor or the one that awards the prize in your lives.