the Week of Proper 16 / Ordinary 21
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Read the Bible
THE MESSAGE
Colossians 3:1
Bible Study Resources
Concordances:
- Nave'sDictionaries:
- AmericanEncyclopedias:
- InternationalDevotionals:
- ChipParallel Translations
So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
If yee then bee risen with Christ, seeke those things which are aboue, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God:
If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ, keep seeking the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
Since you were raised from the dead with Christ, aim at what is in heaven, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God.
Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
Therefore, if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
Therefore, since you have been raised with Christ, strive for the things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
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.
So if you were raised along with the Messiah, then seek the things above, where the Messiah is sitting at the right hand of God .
If therefore ye have been raised with the Christ, seek the things [which are] above, where the Christ is, sitting at [the] right hand of God:
You were raised from death with Christ. So live for what is in heaven, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God.
If yee then bee risen with Christ, seeke those thinges which are aboue, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God.
IF you then are risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sits on the right hand of God.
You have been raised to life with Christ, so set your hearts on the things that are in heaven, where Christ sits on his throne at the right side of God.
Therefore, if you have been raised together with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
If, then, you were raised with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is sitting at the right of God; Psa. 110:1
Therefore if you have been raised with Christ [to a new life, sharing in His resurrection from the dead], keep seeking the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
If then ye were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God.
If then you have a new life with Christ, give your attention to the things of heaven, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
If then you were raised together with Messiah, seek the things that are above, where Messiah is, seated on the right hand of God.
Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ, keep focusing on the things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.Romans 6:5; 8:34; Ephesians 1:20; 2:6; Colossians 2:12;">[xr]
IF, then, you have risen with the Meshiha, seek (the realities) which are on high, where the Meshiha sitteth at the right hand of Aloha.
If then ye have risen with the Messiah, seek the things on high, where the Messiah sitteth on the right hand of God.
If ye then be rysen agayne with Christ, seke those things which are aboue, where Christe sitteth on the ryght hande of God.
If then ye were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God.
If then you were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God.
If ye then are risen with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ sitteth at the right-hand of God.
If however you have risen with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, enthroned at God's right hand.
Therfor if ye han risun togidere with Crist, seke ye tho thingis that ben aboue, where Crist is sittynge in the riythalf of God.
If then you were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
If ye then be raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.
Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God's right hand.
If then you have been raised with Christ, keep looking for the good things of heaven. This is where Christ is seated on the right side of God.
So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
If, therefore, ye have been raised together with the Christ, the things on high, be seeking, where, the Christ, is - on the right hand of God, sitting;
Therefore if you be risen with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God.
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
If ye be then rysen agayne with christ seke those thynges which are above where Christ sitteth on the right honde of god.
If, then, ye were raised with the Christ, the things above seek ye, where the Christ is, on the right hand of God seated,
Yf ye be rysen now with Christ, seke those thinges then which are aboue where Christ is, syttinge on the righte hande of God.
If then you are risen with Christ, seek the things, that are above, where Christ sits at the right hand of God.
If you truly have a new life in Christ, set your thoughts on him, not rules about yourself. Jesus is riding at the right hand of God. He has offered you a place in his work, but you'll never accomplish anything by beating yourself up with rules you can never follow.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
risen: Colossians 2:12, Colossians 2:13, Colossians 2:20, Romans 6:4, Romans 6:5, Romans 6:9-11, Galatians 2:19, Galatians 2:20, Ephesians 1:19, Ephesians 1:20, Ephesians 2:5, Ephesians 2:6
seek: Colossians 3:2, Psalms 16:11, Psalms 17:14, Psalms 17:15, Psalms 73:25, Psalms 73:26, Proverbs 15:24, Matthew 6:20, Matthew 6:33, Luke 12:33, Romans 8:6, 2 Corinthians 4:18, Philippians 3:20, Philippians 3:21, Hebrews 11:13-16
where: Psalms 110:1, Matthew 22:44, Matthew 26:64, Mark 12:36, Mark 14:62, Mark 16:19, Luke 20:42, Luke 22:69, Acts 2:34, Acts 7:55, Romans 8:34, Ephesians 1:20, Ephesians 4:10, Hebrews 1:3, Hebrews 1:13, Hebrews 8:1, Hebrews 10:12, Hebrews 12:2, 1 Peter 3:22
Reciprocal: Song of Solomon 3:6 - like Song of Solomon 4:8 - with me Matthew 6:21 - there Matthew 20:21 - the one Luke 12:34 - where Romans 6:7 - For he Romans 8:5 - of the Spirit 1 Corinthians 15:13 - General 2 Corinthians 5:15 - that they 2 Corinthians 5:17 - old Galatians 6:14 - the world Ephesians 2:1 - you Ephesians 5:14 - arise Philippians 3:10 - and the power 2 Timothy 2:18 - that Hebrews 6:19 - entereth Hebrews 13:14 - General James 1:27 - to keep 1 John 2:15 - Love not
Cross-References
"The serpent seduced me," she said, "and I ate."
At that time God will unsheathe his sword, his merciless, massive, mighty sword. He'll punish the serpent Leviathan as it flees, the serpent Leviathan thrashing in flight. He'll kill that old dragon that lives in the sea.
"Stay alert. This is hazardous work I'm assigning you. You're going to be like sheep running through a wolf pack, so don't call attention to yourselves. Be as cunning as a snake, inoffensive as a dove.
Pseudo-Servants of God Will you put up with a little foolish aside from me? Please, just for a moment. The thing that has me so upset is that I care about you so much—this is the passion of God burning inside me! I promised your hand in marriage to Christ, presented you as a pure virgin to her husband. And now I'm afraid that exactly as the Snake seduced Eve with his smooth patter, you are being lured away from the simple purity of your love for Christ. It seems that if someone shows up preaching quite another Jesus than we preached—different spirit, different message—you put up with him quite nicely. But if you put up with these big-shot "apostles," why can't you put up with simple me? I'm as good as they are. It's true that I don't have their voice, haven't mastered that smooth eloquence that impresses you so much. But when I do open my mouth, I at least know what I'm talking about. We haven't kept anything back. We let you in on everything. I wonder, did I make a bad mistake in proclaiming God's Message to you without asking for something in return, serving you free of charge so that you wouldn't be inconvenienced by me? It turns out that the other churches paid my way so that you could have a free ride. Not once during the time I lived among you did anyone have to lift a finger to help me out. My needs were always supplied by the believers from Macedonia province. I was careful never to be a burden to you, and I never will be, you can count on it. With Christ as my witness, it's a point of honor with me, and I'm not going to keep it quiet just to protect you from what the neighbors will think. It's not that I don't love you; God knows I do. I'm just trying to keep things open and honest between us. And I'm not changing my position on this. I'd die before taking your money. I'm giving nobody grounds for lumping me in with those money-grubbing "preachers," vaunting themselves as something special. They're a sorry bunch—pseudo-apostles, lying preachers, crooked workers—posing as Christ's agents but sham to the core. And no wonder! Satan does it all the time, dressing up as a beautiful angel of light. So it shouldn't surprise us when his servants masquerade as servants of God. But they're not getting by with anything. They'll pay for it in the end. Let me come back to where I started—and don't hold it against me if I continue to sound a little foolish. Or if you'd rather, just accept that I am a fool and let me rant on a little. I didn't learn this kind of talk from Christ. Oh, no, it's a bad habit I picked up from the three-ring preachers that are so popular these days. Since you sit there in the judgment seat observing all these shenanigans, you can afford to humor an occasional fool who happens along. You have such admirable tolerance for impostors who rob your freedom, rip you off, steal you blind, put you down—even slap your face! I shouldn't admit it to you, but our stomachs aren't strong enough to tolerate that kind of stuff. Since you admire the egomaniacs of the pulpit so much (remember, this is your old friend, the fool, talking), let me try my hand at it. Do they brag of being Hebrews, Israelites, the pure race of Abraham? I'm their match. Are they servants of Christ? I can go them one better. (I can't believe I'm saying these things. It's crazy to talk this way! But I started, and I'm going to finish.) I've worked much harder, been jailed more often, beaten up more times than I can count, and at death's door time after time. I've been flogged five times with the Jews' thirty-nine lashes, beaten by Roman rods three times, pummeled with rocks once. I've been shipwrecked three times, and immersed in the open sea for a night and a day. In hard traveling year in and year out, I've had to ford rivers, fend off robbers, struggle with friends, struggle with foes. I've been at risk in the city, at risk in the country, endangered by desert sun and sea storm, and betrayed by those I thought were my brothers. I've known drudgery and hard labor, many a long and lonely night without sleep, many a missed meal, blasted by the cold, naked to the weather. And that's not the half of it, when you throw in the daily pressures and anxieties of all the churches. When someone gets to the end of his rope, I feel the desperation in my bones. When someone is duped into sin, an angry fire burns in my gut. If I have to "brag" about myself, I'll brag about the humiliations that make me like Jesus. The eternal and blessed God and Father of our Master Jesus knows I'm not lying. Remember the time I was in Damascus and the governor of King Aretas posted guards at the city gates to arrest me? I crawled through a window in the wall, was let down in a basket, and had to run for my life.
The same goes for you husbands: Be good husbands to your wives. Honor them, delight in them. As women they lack some of your advantages. But in the new life of God's grace, you're equals. Treat your wives, then, as equals so your prayers don't run aground.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
If ye then be risen with Christ,.... The apostle having observed in the former chapter, that the believing Colossians were dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, were buried with him in baptism, and were risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, argues from hence how much it became them to regard a new and spiritual life, and to seek after superior and heavenly things, and treat with neglect and contempt carnal and earthly ones. For he does not here call in question their being risen with Christ, but takes it for granted that they were, and makes use of it as an argument for his present purpose. They were risen with Christ as their head, and as members in union with him representatively, when he rose from the dead; and emblematically in their baptism, when having gone down into the water, and being baptized, they emersed from it; and spiritually in conversion, when they were raised from a death of sin, to a life of grace, by Christ, as the resurrection and the life, the efficient cause of it, and in virtue of his resurrection from the dead: wherefore being thus raised again in every sense, it highly became them to
seek those things which are above; the better and heavenly country, the continuing city, which is above the heavens, whose builder and maker is God; Christ, who is in heaven, and salvation alone by him without the works of the law; all spiritual blessings, such as pardon, peace, righteousness, life, and glory, which are in heavenly places in him; doctrines and ordinances, which come from heaven, and are the means of supporting a spiritual and heavenly life; especially that bread of life which came down from heaven, and gives life unto the world, and of which if a man eats, he shall never die, but live for ever; and particularly glory, honour, immortality, and eternal life, the crown of righteousness laid up above, the kingdom of God, and the righteousness of it; which are to be sought for in the first place with all affection, earnest desire, care, and diligence, not by or for works of righteousness, but in Christ, and as the gifts of God's grace through him.
Where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God: which contains other reasons and arguments to engage believers to look upwards, and seek after heavenly things; that as Christ, when he died and rose again from the dead, did not stay long on earth, nor minded the things of the world, but ascended up to heaven, where he now is, and will remain until his second coming; so they, being dead and risen with him, should, in their thoughts, desires, and affections, in the exercise of the graces of faith, hope, and love, ascend heavenwards, like pillars of smoke perfumed with frankincense; and the more should their hearts be where he is, and intent on things above there, from the consideration of that great honour and dignity in which he is. He is "on the right hand of God"; in human nature, an honour which none of the angels were ever admitted to: here he "sitteth", as having done the work of redemption, and entered into his rest, beholding the travail of his soul with satisfaction, though he continues to be an advocate, and to make intercession for his people; which is another reason enforcing this exhortation.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
If ye then be risen with Christ - The apostle in this place evidently founds the argument on what he had said in Colossians 2:12; see the notes at that passage. The argument is, that there was such an union between Christ and his people, that in virtue of his death they become dead to sin; that in virtue of his resurrection they rise to spiritual life, and that, therefore, as Christ now lives in heaven, they should live for heaven, and fix their affections there.
Seek those things which are above - That is, seek them as the objects of pursuit and affection; strive to secure them.
Where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God - Notes, Mark 16:19. The argument here is, that since Christ is there, and since he is the object of our supreme attachment, we should fix our affections on heavenly things, and seek to be prepared to dwell with him.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
CHAPTER III.
The apostle exhorts the Colossians to heavenly-mindedness after
the example of Christ, that they may be prepared to appear with
him in glory, 1-4.
Exhorts them also to mortify their members, and calls to their
remembrance their former state, 5-7.
Shows how completely they were changed from that state, and
gives them various directions relative to truth, compassion,
meekness, long-suffering, forgiveness, charity, 8-14.
Shows that they are called to unity and holiness; and commands
them to have the doctrine of Christ dwelling richly in them;
and how they should teach and admonish each other, and do every
thing, in the name of the Lord Jesus, 15-17.
The relative duties of wives, 18.
Of husbands, 19.
Of children, 20.
Of fathers, 21.
Of servants, 22.
He concludes by showing that he that does wrong shall be treated
accordingly, for God is no respecter of persons, 23-25.
NOTES ON CHAP. III.
Verse Colossians 3:1. If ye then — ει ουν. Seeing then that ye are risen with Christ; this refers to what he had said, Colossians 2:12: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him. As, therefore, ye have most cordially received the doctrine of Christ; and profess to be partakers of a spiritual religion, that promises spiritual and eternal things; seek those things, and look to be prepared for the enjoyment of them.
