(Tap footnote to read it. Old Testament quotations are underlined. "Love" with a caret ("^love") is agapé.1"agapé" The Greek words ἀγάπη (agapé, noun), and ἀγαπάω (agapaó; verb) are typically translated "love". However, unlike our English word "love" – which primarily speaks of affection and feelings – agapé centers on choice and behavior. It’s the "love" based on will, choice, behavior, and action; not feelings. (Feelings-based love is the Greek word φιλέω (phileó), which properly means "brotherly love/affection".) Thus, you could hate someone passionately and still treat him with "agapé". Agapé "love" is best understood as the pursuit of what is most beneficial to someone or something, regardless of the cost to yourself or the type of response received from the person or thing. It can also indicate a preference for someone or something over other things. )
Seek the things above
- Therefore, if you were raised with the Anointed, seek the things above where the Anointed is: sitting at the right hand of God.
- Set your minds on the things above, not on the things on the earth.
- For you died and your life is *hidden with the Anointed in God.
- When the Anointed (who is your life) is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.
- Therefore, put to death your earthly parts: fornication, impurity, depraved passion, wicked craving and covetousness (which is idolatry).
- Because of these things, the wrath of God comes on the sons of disobedience,
- in which you also once walked when you were living in them.
- But now, you must also cast off all these things: wrath, outbursts of anger, malice, and foul language from your mouth.
- Don’t lie to one another, having completely stripped off the old man with his practices
- and having clothed yourselves in the new man; the man who is being renewed in full knowledge according to the image of the One who created him,
- where there is no Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave, or free; but the Anointed is all and in all.
- Therefore, clothe yourselves as God’s chosen, *^loved and holy, with inward compassion, benevolence, humility, gentle strength,1“gentle strength” is one word in Greek. It comes from the root “pra-” which is typically translated “meek” It more accurately refers to power that’s exercised gently, without harshness. Our English word “meek” lacks the Greeks word’s blend of gentleness, reserve, and strength. and patience,
- bearing with one another and forgiving yourselves. If anyone has a complaint against someone, then just as the Lord forgave you, in this way also you should forgive.
- Yet above all of these, clothe yourselves in ^love, which is a bond of maturity.
- And let the peace of the Anointed arbitrate2“arbitrate” This Greek word properly refers to someone acting as an umpire or referring in the games. i.e. the one who acts as an arbiter, making a call when two sides are opposed. in your hearts, into which you were called in one body. Also, be thankful.
- Let the word of the Anointed dwell in you richly, teaching in all wisdom and admonishing yourselves in palms, hymns, and spiritual songs; singing in grace to God in your hearts.
- And everything – whatever you might do in word or deed – do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus; giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
Conduct for Christian households
- Wives, submit yourselves3“submit yourselves” the endings for the middle and passive voice for this Greek verb are the same, so either could’ve been intended. In the middle voice, it contains reflexive force (“subject yourself”) and thus has the connotation of voluntary obedience, so “wives must obey” is perhaps more accurate to the intended sense (though less literal). In the passive voice it could be translated “wives must be submitted”. The passive voice is less likely intended because then it could indicate that their submission/obedience is being done to them (i.e. they’re being made to submit). to your husbands as is proper in the Lord.
- Husbands, ^love your wives and don’t be harsh or embittered4“harsh or embittered” is one word in Greek. In the middle voice, it means to become embittered, in the passive voice it means to be harsh. However, the middle and passive endings are the same for this particular Greek word, so either could’ve been intended and it’s likely that both were intended. Therefore, both were included. toward them.
- Children obey your parents in everything, for this is pleasing in the Lord.
- Fathers, don’t provoke or exasperate your children to anger,5“provoke or exasperate… …to anger” is one word in Greek, with that exact meaning., so they won’t be broken in spirit.
- Slaves, obey your masters of flesh in everything. Not only while the master watches6“only while the master watches” is one word in Greek, which literally means “eye-service”. That is, only providing good service while the master watches. like people-pleasers do, but in purity of heart; reverently fearing the Lord.
- Whatever you might do, work from the soul as for the Lord and not for men,
- *knowing that you will receive the reward of the inheritance from the Lord. You serve our Lord the Anointed.
- For the man who does wrong will be repaid for what he did wrong, and there is no partiality.
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