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Your New Life in Christ

¹ Since you were raised from the dead with Christ, aim at what is in heaven, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God. ² Think only about the things in heaven, not the things on earth. ³ Your old sinful self has died, and your new life is kept with Christ in God. ⁴ Christ is your^[a] life, and when he comes again, you will share in his glory.

⁵ So put all evil things out of your life: sexual sinning, doing evil, letting evil thoughts control you, wanting things that are evil, and greed. This is really serving a false god. ⁶ These things make God angry.^{[b] 7} In your past, evil life you also did these things.

⁸ But now also put these things out of your life: anger, bad temper, doing or saying things to hurt others, and using evil words when you talk. ⁹ Do not lie to each other. You have left your old sinful life and the things you did before. ¹⁰ You have begun to live the new life, in which you are being made new and are becoming like the One who made you. This new life brings you the true knowledge of God. ¹¹ In the new life there is no difference between Greeks and Jews, those who are circumcised and those who are not circumcised, or people who are foreigners, or Scythians.^[c] There is no difference between slaves and free people. But Christ is in all believers, and Christ is all that is important.

¹² God has chosen you and made you his holy people. He loves you. So you should always clothe yourselves with mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. ¹³ Bear with each other, and forgive each other. If someone does wrong to you, forgive that person because the Lord forgave you. ¹⁴ Even more than all this, clothe yourself in love. Love is what holds you all together in perfect unity. ¹⁵ Let the peace that Christ gives control your thinking, because you were all called together in one body^[d] to have peace. Always be thankful. ¹⁶ Let the teaching of Christ live in you richly. Use all wisdom to teach and instruct each other by singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God. ¹⁷ Everything you do or say should be done to obey Jesus your Lord. And in all you do, give thanks to God the Father through Jesus.

Your New Life with Other People

¹⁸ Wives, yield to the authority of your husbands, because this is the right thing to do in the Lord.

¹⁹ Husbands, love your wives and be gentle with them.

²⁰ Children, obey your parents in all things, because this pleases the Lord.

²¹ Fathers, do not nag your children. If you are too hard to please, they may want to stop trying.

²² Slaves, obey your masters in all things. Do not obey just when they are watching you, to gain their favor, but serve them honestly, because you respect the Lord. ²³ In all the work you are doing, work the best you can. Work as if you were doing it for the Lord, not for people. ²⁴ Remember that you will receive your reward from the Lord, which he promised to his people. You are serving the Lord Christ. ²⁵ But remember that anyone who does wrong will be punished for that wrong, and the Lord treats everyone the same.