KOLOSSENSE 3

Hoe om die nuwe lewe wat Christus gee, te leef

1 Aangesien julle saam met Christus tot 'n nuwe lewe opgewek is, streef na die dinge wat daarbo by Christus is, waar Hy aan die regterhand van God sit.2 Laat julle gedagtes beheer word deur die hemelse dinge, nie deur dinge op die aarde nie.3 Julle het mos saam met Christus gesterf en julle lewe is saam met Hom veilig by God weggesteek.

4 Wanneer Christus, wat julle lewe is, by sy wederkoms verskyn, sal julle ook saam met Hom in heerlikheid verskyn.
5 Daarom moet julle die volgende wê-reldse dinge afsterf wat deel van julle lewe is: seksuele sondes, onreinheid, wellus, slegte begeertes en gierigheid, wat van geld 'n god maak.6 Dit is oor sulke goed dat God se straf ongehoorsame mense tref.7 Vroeër was hierdie dinge ook deel van julle leefstyl.8 Maar nou moet julle ook nog van al die volgende ontslae raak: kwaad wees, woedebuie, gemeenheid, gevloek. Vuil taal moenie uit julle mond kom nie.9 Moenie vir mekaar lieg nie. Julle het mos die vorige mens en sy praktyke soos klere uitgetrek10 en die nuwe mens aangetrek. Hierdie mens kry voortdurend nuwe insig en word só verander en nuut gemaak om al meer soos sy Skepper te lyk.

11 In hierdie nuwe lewe is daar nie langer sprake van Griek of Jood, besny of onbesny, ongekultiveerd, barbaars, slaaf of vry man nie. Al wat saak maak, is Christus wat alles in elkeen is.
12 Julle is die mense wat God uitgekies het wat Hy geheilig het en wat Hy liefhet. Daarom moet julle die volgende soos klere aantrek: liefdevolle deernis, vriendelikheid, nederigheid, sagmoedigheid, geduld.13 Verdra mekaar en as enigeen 'n klagte teen iemand anders het, vergewe mekaar. Vergewe mekaar soos die Here julle vergewe het.14 Die heel belangrikste wat julle moet aantrek, is die liefde. Die liefde bind alles volmaak saam.

15 Verder, laat die vrede wat Christus bewerk het, in julle lewens die deurslag gee; want as lede van een liggaam is julle tot vrede geroep. En wees dankbaar.
16 Laat die rykdom van alles wat Christus ons leer, julle leefstyl bepaal. Met alle wysheid moet julle mekaar onderrig en mekaar die regte pad wys. Sing met dankbare harte psalms, lofgesange en geestelike liedere tot eer van God.

17 Verder, doen alles - of dit nou met woorde of dade is - in die Naam van die Here Jesus. Só is julle heeltyd besig om deur Hom dank aan God die Vader te bring.

Hoe Christenskap verhoudings bepaal

18 Vroue, wees aan julle mans onderdanig soos dit pas by mense wat met Christus één is.

19 Mans, julle moet julle vroue liefhê en julle moenie griewe teenoor hulle opbou nie.
20 Kinders, julle moet in elke opsig aan julle ouers gehoorsaam wees, want dan is die Here tevrede.

21 Ouers, moenie aanhou foutvind met julle kinders sodat hulle moed verloor nie.
22 Slawe, julle moet julle eienaars hier op aarde in elke opsig gehoorsaam. Julle moenie mense probeer tevrede stel deur net te werk as iemand kyk nie. Nee, werk met opregtheid van hart omdat julle eerbied vir die Here het.23 Pak alles gemotiveerd aan. Werk soos vir die Here en nie soos vir mense nie.24 Weet dat die Here julle met 'n erfdeel sal beloon. Die Eienaar vir wie julle werk, is Christus!

25 Wie onreg doen, kry hulle onreg terug. God trek niemand voor nie.

COLOSSIANS 3

1  t You have been raised to life with Christ. Now set your heart on what is in heaven, where Christ rules at God's right side.t 2 Think about what is up there, not about what is here on earth. 3 You died, which means that your life is hidden with Christ, who sits beside God.

4 Christ gives meaning to yourt life, and when he appears, you will also appear with him in glory.
5 Don't be controlled by your body. Kill every desire for the wrong kind of sex. Don't be immoral or indecent or have evil thoughts. Don't be greedy, which is the same as worshiping idols. 6 God is angry with people who disobey him by doingt these things. 7 And this is exactly what you did, when you lived among people who behaved in this way. 8 But now you must stop doing such things. You must quit being angry, hateful, and evil. You must no longer say insulting or cruel things about others.

9 t And stop lying to each other. You have given up your old way of life with its habits.
10  t Each of you is now a new person. You are becoming more and more like your Creator, and you will understand him better.

11 It doesn't matter if you are a Greek or a Jew, or if you are circumcised or not. You may even be a barbarian or a Scythian, t and you may be a slave or a free person. Yet Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.
12  t God loves you and has chosen you as his own special people. So be gentle, kind, humble, meek, and patient. 13 t Put up with each other, and forgive anyone who does you wrong, just as Christ has forgiven you.

14 Love is more important than anything else. It is what ties everything completely together.
15 Each one of you is part of the body of Christ, and you were chosen to live together in peace. So let the peace that comes from Christ control your thoughts. And be grateful. 16 t Let the message about Christ completely fill your lives, while you use all your wisdom to teach and instruct each other. With thankful hearts, sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God.

17 Whatever you say or do should be done in the name of the Lord Jesus, as you give thanks to God the Father because of him.

Some Rules for Christian Living

18  t A wife must put her husband first. This is her duty as a follower of the Lord.

19  t A husband must love his wife and not abuse her.

20  t Children must always obey their parents. This pleases the Lord.

21  t Parents, don't be hard on your children. If you are, they might give up.
22  t Slaves, you must always obey your earthly masters. Try to please them at all times, and not just when you think they are watching. Honor the Lord and serve your masters with your whole heart. 23 Do your work willingly, as though you were serving the Lord himself, and not just your earthly master. 24 In fact, the Lord Christ is the one you are really serving, and you know he will reward you. 25 t But Christ has no favorites! He will punish evil people, just as they deserve.