COLOSSIANS CHAPTER 3 - CONTEMPORARY ALIGNED VERSION (SPIRITCODE)

1. So if you are now living a risen life with Jesus then let your heart seek to be in that perfect place where Jesus sits right next to his Father.

2. Let your heart embrace the atmosphere of that heavenly place, and not the atmosphere of this world.

3. For you have died to that, and now your life is concealed inside the life of Jesus, within God.

4. When Jesus Christ, who has joined our life to his, returns to this earth, you will appear with him in all his splendor.

5. So you need to subdue the pull of the baser earthly appetites, amoral sexual activity, an impure lifestyle, out of control desires and decadent behavior, greedily grasping everything you want and giving those things the power over your life instead of God.

6. It is because of these things

that obstinate and deluded people suffer the consequences of God’s indignation.

7. You too lived the same kind of life once upon a time.

8. But now you can leave all of that behind you, things like anger, intense and hostile feelings, speaking evil of people, and sleazy conversations.

9. Be open and honest with each other, seeing as how you have left behind the old life, with its attitudes and behavior energized by an old order of humanity that was once not joined to the life of Jesus.

10. You have chosen to live in the new order of humanity that is joined to the heart and life of Jesus, and you have thoroughly adopted this new mindset of spiritual truth that reflects the Father’s heart through Jesus, who was made to be in his perfect likeness.

11. This means there is now no distinction between being a Greek or a Jew, or being circumcised or uncircumcised, or being of any particular nationality or culture or status in society. Jesus embraces all of this, and has been made one with all of this.

12. So live within that same likeness, as people much loved, and set apart and chosen for this, showing the same compassion of heart and humility of mind. Be kind to people, and put up with their shortcomings with a gentle spirit.

13. Bear with one another’s shortcomings also, and be forgiving. If any of you has a grudge towards another, call a truce and make peace. You can grant a full pardon, just as Jesus has done for you.

14. And the greatest thing of all is to let his love flow through you, so that God’s circle of love and unity is made complete.

15. Let the peace and oneness that you share with God, and which you have been invited to share with one another, be the compass that guides your hearts, and be ever grateful for that.

16. Let the word of Christ find its home in your hearts, with plenty of space to live, bringing his wisdom to you and through you. This way you can bring truth to each other and put one another in mind of his word, through psalms and well known songs of worship, and new songs in the Spirit that you sing gratefully with all your heart to God.

17. And whatever it is that you say or do, do it as if you were putting the Lord’s name to it, ever thankful to God the Father because of Jesus.

18. Wives, honor your husbands and trust them with your life, which is the right thing to do because of the life you live with Christ.

19. Husbands show love to your wives and don’t speak sharply to them.

20. Children, do everything your parents ask you to do, for this makes God’s heart glad.

21. Fathers, I urge you not to frustrate your children with remarks and demands that make them feel resentful and discouraged.

22. Workers, pay attention to what your employers want you to do, and don't only work well when you are being supervised. Respect them and have a healthy fear of God about doing the wrong thing by them.

23. Approach your work with the same kind of integrity and sincerity as if you were working for Jesus.

24. Be conscious of the fact that God will reward this faithful attitude and make his resources available to you, because you are really serving the Lord Jesus Christ.

25. But if you do the wrong thing in these matters God will see that you pay the consequences, and God will make no exception for anybody.