Colossians 2:20-3:11
1599 Geneva Bible
20 [a]Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the ordinances of the world, why, [b]as though ye lived in the world, are ye burdened with traditions?
21 [c]As, Touch not, Taste not, Handle not.
22 [d]Which all perish with the using, [e]and are after the commandments and doctrines of men.
23 [f]Which things have indeed a show of [g]wisdom, in [h]voluntary religion and humbleness of mind, and in [i]not sparing the body, which are things of no value, since they pertain to the [j]filling of the flesh.
3 1 Against earthly exercises, which the false apostles urged, 2 he setteth heavenly: 5 and beginneth with the mortifying of the flesh, 8 whence he draweth particular exhortations, 18 and particular duties which depend on each man’s calling.
1 If [k]ye then [l]be [m]risen with Christ, [n]seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God.
2 Set your affections on things which are above, and not on things which are on the [o]earth.
3 [p]For ye are dead, [q]and your life is hid with Christ in God.
4 When Christ which is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
5 (A)[r] Mortify therefore your [s]members which are on the earth, fornication, uncleanness, the inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness which is idolatry.
6 For the which things’ sake the wrath of God [t]cometh on the children of disobedience.
7 Wherein ye also walked once, when ye lived in them.
8 But now put ye away even all these things, wrath, anger, maliciousness, cursed speaking, filthy speaking, out of your mouth.
9 Lie not one to another: [u]seeing that ye have put off the old man with his works,
10 And have put on the new, [v]which is renewed in [w]knowledge after the image of him that created him,
11 [x]Where is neither Grecian nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond, free: But Christ is all, and in all things.
Footnotes
- Colossians 2:20 Now last of all he fighteth against the second kind of corruptions, that is to say, against mere superstitions, invented of men, which partly deceive the simplicity of some with their craftiness, and partly with very foolish superstitions, and to be laughed at: as when godliness, remission of sins, or any such like virtue is put in some certain kind of meat and such like things, which the inventors of such rites themselves understand not, because indeed it is not. And he useth an argument taken of comparison. If by the death of Christ who establisheth a new covenant with his blood, you be delivered from those external rites wherewith it pleased the Lord to prepare the world, as it were by certain rudiments to that full knowledge of true religion, why would ye be burdened with traditions, I wrote not what, as though ye were citizens of this world, that is to say, as though ye depended upon this life, and earthly things? Now this is the cause why before verse 8 he followed another order than he doth in the confutation: because he showeth thereby what degrees false religions came into the world, to wit, beginning first by curious speculations of the wise after which in process of time succeeded gross superstition, against which mischiefs the Lord set at length that service of the Law, which some abused in like sort: but in the confutation he began with the abolishing of the Law service, that he might show by comparison, that those false services ought much more to be taken away.
- Colossians 2:20 As though your felicity stood in these earthly things, and the kingdom of God were not rather spiritual.
- Colossians 2:21 An imitation in the person of these superstitious men, rightly expressing their nature and use of speech.
- Colossians 2:22 Another argument: The spiritual and inward kingdom of God cannot consist in these outward things, and such as perish with the using.
- Colossians 2:22 The third argument: Because God is not the author of these traditions, and therefore they do not bind the conscience.
- Colossians 2:23 The taking away of an objection. These things have a goodly show, because men by this means, seem to worship God with a good mind and humble themselves, and neglect the body, which the most part of men curiously pamper up and cherish: but yet notwithstanding the things themselves are of no value, for so much as they pertain not to things that are spiritual and everlasting, but to the nourishment of the flesh.
- Colossians 2:23 Which seem indeed to be some exquisite thing, and so wise devices as though they came from heaven.
- Colossians 2:23 Hence sprang the works of supererogation, as the Papists term them, that is to say, needless works, as though men performed more than is commanded them, which was the beginning and the very ground whereon Monks’ merits were brought in.
- Colossians 2:23 A lively description of Monkery.
- Colossians 2:23 Seeing they stand in meat and drink, wherein the kingdom of God doth not stand.
- Colossians 3:1 Another part of this Epistle, wherein he taketh occasion by the reason of those vain exercises, to show the duty of a Christian life: which is an ordinary thing with him after he hath once set down the doctrine itself.
- Colossians 3:1 Our renewing or new birth, which is wrought in us by being partakers of the resurrection of Christ, is the fountain of all holiness, out of which sundry arms or rivers do afterwards flow.
- Colossians 3:1 For if we be partakers of Christ, we are carried as it were into another life, where we shall need neither meat nor drink, for we shall be like unto the Angels.
- Colossians 3:1 The end and mark which all the duties of Christian life shoot at, is to enter into the kingdom of heaven, and to give ourselves to those things which lead us thither, that is to true godliness, and not to those outward and corporal things.
- Colossians 3:2 So he calleth that show of religion, which he spake of in the former Chapter.
- Colossians 3:3 A reason taken of the efficient causes and others: you are dead as touching the flesh, that is, touching the old nature which seeketh after all transitory things, and on the other side, you have begun to live according to the Spirit, therefore give yourselves to spiritual and heavenly, and not to carnal and earthly things.
- Colossians 3:3 The taking away of an objection: while we are yet in this world, we are subject to many miseries of this life, so that the life that is in us, is as it were hidden: yet notwithstanding we have the beginnings of life and glory, the accomplishment whereof which lieth now in Christ’s and in God’s hand, shall be assuredly and manifestly performed in that glorious coming of the Lord.
- Colossians 3:5 Let not your dead nature be any more effectual in you, but let your living nature be effectual. Now the force of nature is known by the motions. Therefore let the affections of the flesh die in you, and let the contrary motions which are spiritual, live. And he reckoneth up a great long scroll of vices, and their contrary virtues.
- Colossians 3:5 The motions and lusts that are in us, are in this place very properly called members, because that the reason and will of man corrupted, doth use them as the body doth his members.
- Colossians 3:6 Useth to come.
- Colossians 3:9 A definition of our new birth taken of the parts thereof, which are the putting off of the old man, that is to say, of the wickedness which is in us by nature, and the restoring, and repairing of the new man, that is to say, of pureness which is given us by grace: but both of them are but begun in us in this present life, and by certain degrees finished: the one dying in us by little and little, and the other coming to the perfection of another life, by little and little.
- Colossians 3:10 Newness of life consisteth in knowledge, which transformeth man to the image of God his maker, that is to say, to the sincerity and pureness of the whole soul.
- Colossians 3:10 He speaketh of an effectual knowledge.
- Colossians 3:11 He telleth them again, that the Gospel doth not respect those external things, but true justification and sanctification in Christ only, which have many fruits, as he reckoneth them up here: But commendeth two things especially, to wit, godly concord, and continual study of God’s word.
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.
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