Colossians 3:5-17 Lesson 388

Colossians 3:5-17
Lesson 388

Read both the "King James Bible" and the "New Living Translation."

In this lesson:

The old versus the new you.

Note the commands in verses 3:5-11.

The Christian dress code and a list of virtues (3:12-14).

The secret of happiness (3:15-17).

What is...

Blasphemy -
To blasphemy is to slander, insult (through words or actions), or speak irreverently of God, His authority, or grandeur. The Old Testament named blasphemy as one of the worst sins, punishable by death (Leviticus 24:16). The New Testament calls blasphemy the unforgivable sin (Matthew 12:31-32; Mark 3:28-29; Luke 12:10). Unforgiveable because the sinner will not ask for forgiveness. Blasphemy isn't just a one-time mistake made in a time of spiritual uncertainty; it's an ongoing attitude of rebellion against God.

Study Tip:

It helps to study more than one Bible translation.
Scroll back and forth between the "King James Version" and the "New Living Translation" below.
Also, check the margin notes in blue and click on the links.

The Epistle of Paul The Apostle To The Colossians

The King James Bible

Colossians 3:5-17
Rules for living

5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:

6 For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:

7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.

8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.

9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;

10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.

12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;

13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.

15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

16 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.

17 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.

Margin notes:

"Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth." (3:5) - "Put away your old way of living." Jesus provides the strength to overcome our old life of pride, lust, addiction, lies, thievery, and idolatry. If we do not defeat these temptations, they will defeat us (Romans 8:13). See Galatians 5:19-21 for a more complete list of sins.

"Fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry." (3:5) - "Sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry (the worship of false gods)."

"For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh." (3:6) - "Because of these sins, the wrath of God is coming."

"In the which ye also walked some time." (3:7) - "In which you also once walked." See Ephesians 2:2.

"But now ye also put off all these." (3:8) - "But now, put these sins out of your life" (Ephesians 4:22).

"Filthy communication." (3:8) - "Filthy language."

"Ye have put off the old man with his deeds." (3:9) - "You have put aside the old you and your old ways."

"Put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him." (3:10) - "Be a new person renewed in the knowledge of God the creator." This is a reminder that we must constantly learn and grow in Christ. Paul is repeating this message from Romans 12:2.

"Greek." (3:11) - Any non-Jew.

"Scythian." (3:11) - A person from Scythia, an area north of the Black and Caspian Seas in present-day southern Ukraine. Scythians were the descendants of Japheth (Genesis 9:27) and called themselves Scoloti. They were a rural, nomadic, uncivilized, and brutal people who scalped their enemies and used their skulls as cups. A pagan people, they made human sacrifices to please their gods. The very name Scythian became synonymous for barbarity. Also called Ashkenaz, they conducted savage raids against their neighbors until they were finally defeated.

"Christ is all, and in all." (3:11) - We are all "one in Christ" (1 Corinthians 12:13; Galatians 3:28). To Jesus, social, economic, educational, and racial differences are meaningless.

"The elect of God." (3:12) - "God's chosen people."

"Bowels of mercies." (3:12) - The virtue of compassion.

"Humbleness of mind." (3:12) - The virtue of humility. For an example of Jesus' humility, see
Philippians 2:6-8.

"Meekness." (3:12) - The virtue of gentleness. Jesus was meek (Matthew 11:29).

"Longsuffering." (3:12) - The virtue of patience.

"Forbearing one another." (3:13) - "Bear with one another." Do not provoke or be provoked by others.

"Even as Christ forgave you." (3:13) - "Just as Christ forgave you" (Matthew 6:12-14).

"Above all these things put on charity." (3:14) - "Above everything else, love." Love leads to the virtues of compassion, humility, gentleness, patience, and forgiveness.

"The bond of perfectness." (3:14) - "The bond of harmony/unity."

"Ye are called in one body." (3:15) - "You are one church (people)."

"In one body." (3:15) - We are all one body (Ephesians 4:4).

"Be ye thankful." (3:15) - Give thanks for your blessings, no matter how small (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

New Living Translation

Colossians 3:5-17

5 So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don't be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.

6 Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming.

7 You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world.

8 But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language.

9 Don't lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds.

10 Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.

11 In this new life, it doesn't matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.

12 Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.

13 Make allowance for each other's faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.

14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.

15 And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.

16 Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.

17 And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.

This second Bible text from the "New Living Translation" (Tyndale House, Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois) is a paraphrase and not an accurate word for word translation of the Bible. However, it is a helpful tool when read with the "King James Version."

Today's question:

1. Where does evil come from? (3:5)

You don't need to know where you're going if you know the One who does.

Answer: (Do you agree?)

1. According to Jesus, wickedness comes from an evil heart (Matthew 15:18-20).

Application thought for the day:

Which vices listed in verses 3:5-9 tempted the old you?
Which virtues listed in 3:12-14 describe the new you?

Thanks to the writings and commentary of John Wesley and Adam Clarke. Also, "The Layman's Bible Study Notebook" by Irving Jensen published by Harvest House Publishing, Irvine, California; the "Life Change Series" published by NavPress books, Colorado Springs, Colorado; the "Life Application Study Bible" published by Tyndale House Publishing, Carol Stream, Illinois; the "Quest Study Bible" published by The Zondervan Corporation, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "Robertson's New Testament Word Studies;" "The MacArthur Bible Commentary" by John MacArthur published by Thomas Nelson, Nashville, Tennessee; "Wisdom of the Bible" CD by Topics Entertainment, Inc., Renton, Washington for their inspiring pictures; "My utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers, published by Barbour Publishing, Inc., Uhrichsville, Ohio; The "Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge" by Reuben Archer Torrey; "Hope For Each Day" by Billy Graham published by J. Countryman, a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc., Nashville, Tennessee; "Easton's Bible Dictionary" by Matthew George Easton; "Unger's Bible Dictionary" by Merrill F. Unger, published by Moody Press, Chicago, Illinois; "Halley's Bible Handbook" by Henry H. Halley, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "The Everyday Bible" published by World Wide Publications, Minneapolis, Minnesota; "The Living New Testament" published by Tyndale house, Wheaten, Illinois; "The New Living Translation" published by Tyndale House, Wheaten, Illinois; "The New Testament" translated from the Latin Vulgate, published by Guild Press, New York, New York; BibleGateway.com for all their wonderful links; and of course, the "King James Bible." All were critical in putting these lessons together.
© 2022 evolke

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