1 You have been raised to life with Christ. Now set your heart on what is in heaven, where Christ rules at God's right side. 2 Think about what is up there, not about what is here on earth. 3 You died, which means that your life is hidden with Christ, who sits beside God. 4 Christ gives meaning to your life, and when he appears, you will also appear with him in glory.
5 Don't be controlled by your body. Kill every desire for the wrong kind of sex. Don't be immoral or indecent or have evil thoughts. Don't be greedy, which is the same as worshiping idols. 6 God is angry with people who disobey him by doing these things. 7 And this is exactly what you did, when you lived among people who behaved in this way. 8 But now you must stop doing such things. You must quit being angry, hateful, and evil. You must no longer say insulting or cruel things about others. 9 And stop lying to each other. You have given up your old way of life with its habits.
10 Each of you is now a new person. You are becoming more and more like your Creator, and you will understand him better. 11 It doesn't matter if you are a Greek or a Jew, or if you are circumcised or not. You may even be a barbarian or a Scythian, and you may be a slave or a free person. Yet Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.
12 God loves you and has chosen you as his own special people. So be gentle, kind, humble, meek, and patient. 13 Put up with each other, and forgive anyone who does you wrong, just as Christ has forgiven you. 14 Love is more important than anything else. It is what ties everything completely together.
15 Each one of you is part of the body of Christ, and you were chosen to live together in peace. So let the peace that comes from Christ control your thoughts. And be grateful. 16 Let the message about Christ completely fill your lives, while you use all your wisdom to teach and instruct each other. With thankful hearts, sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. 17 Whatever you say or do should be done in the name of the Lord Jesus, as you give thanks to God the Father because of him.
Some Rules for Christian Living
18 A wife must put her husband first. This is her duty as a follower of the Lord.
19 A husband must love his wife and not abuse her.
20 Children must always obey their parents. This pleases the Lord.
21 Parents, don't be hard on your children. If you are, they might give up.
22 Slaves, you must always obey your earthly masters. Try to please them at all times, and not just when you think they are watching. Honor the Lord and serve your masters with your whole heart. 23 Do your work willingly, as though you were serving the Lord himself, and not just your earthly master. 24 In fact, the Lord Christ is the one you are really serving, and you know he will reward you. 25 But Christ has no favorites! He will punish evil people, just as they deserve.
1 If yee then bee risen with Christ, seeke those thinges which are aboue, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God. 2 Set your affections on things which are aboue, and not on things which are on the earth. 3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4 When Christ which is our life, shall appeare, then shall ye also appeare with him in glory. 5 Mortifie therefore your members which are on the earth, fornication, vncleannes, the inordinate affection, euill concupiscence, and couetousnes which is idolatrie. 6 For the which things sake ye wrath of God commeth on the children of disobedience. 7 Wherein ye also walked once, when ye liued in them. 8 But now put ye away euen all these things, wrath, anger, maliciousnes, cursed speaking, filthie speaking, out of your mouth. 9 Lie not one to another, seeing that yee haue put off the olde man with his workes, 10 And haue put on the newe, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him, 11 Where is neither Grecian nor Iewe, circumcision nor vncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond, free: But Christ is all, and in all things. 12 Now therfore as the elect of God holy and beloued, put on the bowels of mercies, kindnesse, humblenesse of minde, meekenesse, long suffering: 13 Forbearing one another, and forgiuing one another, if any man haue a quarel to another: euen as Christ forgaue, euen so doe ye. 14 And aboue all these thinges put on loue, which is the bond of perfectnes. 15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which ye are called in one body, and be ye thankfull. 16 Let the worde of Christ dwell in you plenteously in all wisdome, teaching and admonishing your owne selues, in Psalmes, and hymnes, and spirituall songs, singing with a grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And whatsoeuer ye shall doe, in worde or deede, doe all in the Name of the Lord Iesus, giuing thankes to God euen the Father by him. 18 Wiues, submit your selues vnto your husbands, as it is comely in the Lord. 19 Husbands, loue your wiues, and be not bitter vnto them. 20 Children, obey your parents in all thing for that is well pleasing vnto the Lord. 21 Fathers, prouoke not your children to anger, least they be discouraged. 22 Seruants, be obedient vnto them that are your masters according to the flesh, in all things, not with eye seruice as men pleasers, but in singlenes of heart, fearing God. 23 And whatsoeuer ye doe, doe it heartily, as to the Lord, and not to men, 24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receiue the reward of the inheritance: for ye serue the Lord Christ. 25 But he that doeth wrong, shall receiue for the wrong that he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.