Colossians 2:20-3:11

New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised

Warnings against False Teachers

²⁰ If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the universe,^[a] why do you live as if you still belonged to the world? Why do you submit to regulations, ²¹ ‘Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch’? ²² All these regulations refer to things that perish with use; they are simply human commands and teachings. ²³ These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-imposed piety, humility, and severe treatment of the body, but they are of no value in checking self-indulgence.^[b]

The New Life in Christ

3 So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. ² Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth, ³ for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. ⁴ When Christ who is your^[c] life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory.

⁵ Put to death, therefore, whatever in you is earthly: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed (which is idolatry). ⁶ On account of these the wrath of God is coming on those who are disobedient.^{[d] 7} These are the ways you also once followed, when you were living that life.^{[e] 8} But now you must get rid of all such things—anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive^[f] language from your mouth. ⁹ Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have stripped off the old self with its practices ¹⁰ and have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator. ¹¹ In that renewal^[g] there is no longer Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all!