Colossians 3:1
New International Version
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.

New Living Translation
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.

English Standard Version
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.

Berean Standard Bible
Therefore, since you have been raised with Christ, strive for the things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.

Berean Literal Bible
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God.

King James Bible
If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

New King James Version
If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.

New American Standard Bible
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.

NASB 1995
Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.

NASB 1977
If then you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.

Legacy Standard Bible
Therefore, if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.

Amplified Bible
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.

Christian Standard Bible
So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
So if you have been raised with the Messiah, seek what is above, where the Messiah is, seated at the right hand of God.

American Standard Version
If then ye were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God.

Contemporary English Version
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.

English Revised Version
If then ye were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Since you were brought back to life with Christ, focus on the things that are above-where Christ holds the highest position.

Good News Translation
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.

International Standard Version
Therefore, if you have been raised with the Messiah, keep focusing on the things that are above, where the Messiah is seated at the right hand of God.

Majority Standard Bible
Therefore, since you have been raised with Christ, strive for the things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.

NET Bible
Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.

New Heart English Bible
If then you were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God.

Webster's Bible Translation
If ye then be raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

Weymouth New Testament
If however you have risen with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, enthroned at God's right hand.

World English Bible
If then you were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
If, then, you were raised with the Christ, seek the things above, where the Christ is, seated on the right hand of God;

Berean Literal Bible
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God.

Young's Literal Translation
If, then, ye were raised with the Christ, the things above seek ye, where the Christ is, on the right hand of God seated,

Smith's Literal Translation
If therefore ye be risen with Christ, seek things above, where Christ is sitting on the right hand of God.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Therefore, if you be risen with Christ, seek the things that are above; where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God:

Catholic Public Domain Version
Therefore, if you have risen together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.

New American Bible
If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.

New Revised Standard Version
So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
IF you then are risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sits on the right hand of God.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
If therefore you are risen with The Messiah, seek that which is above, the place where The Messiah sits at the right side of God.
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
If, then, you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where the Christ sits at the right hand of God;

Godbey New Testament
If then ye are risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting on the right hand of God;

Haweis New Testament
IF ye then be risen with Christ, seek the things which are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.

Mace New Testament
If then you are risen with Christ, seek the things, that are above, where Christ sits at the right hand of God.

Weymouth New Testament
If however you have risen with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, enthroned at God's right hand.

Worrell New Testament
If, therefore, ye were raised up with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God.

Worsley New Testament
If ye then be risen with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Putting on the New Self
1Therefore, since you have been raised with Christ, strive for the things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.…

Cross References
Ephesians 2:6
And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,

Philippians 3:20-21
But our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, / who, by the power that enables Him to subject all things to Himself, will transform our lowly bodies to be like His glorious body.

Romans 6:4-5
We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may walk in newness of life. / For if we have been united with Him like this in His death, we will certainly also be united with Him in His resurrection.

Ephesians 1:20-21
which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms, / far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.

Romans 8:34
Who is there to condemn us? For Christ Jesus, who died, and more than that was raised to life, is at the right hand of God—and He is interceding for us.

1 Corinthians 15:20-22
But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. / For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. / For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.

2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come!

Galatians 2:20
I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.

Hebrews 12:2
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

John 14:2-3
In My Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? / And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and welcome you into My presence, so that you also may be where I am.

1 Peter 1:3-4
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, / and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, reserved in heaven for you,

Matthew 6:19-21
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. / But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. / For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

John 17:24
Father, I want those You have given Me to be with Me where I am, that they may see the glory You gave Me because You loved Me before the foundation of the world.

Acts 1:9-11
After He had said this, they watched as He was taken up, and a cloud hid Him from their sight. / They were looking intently into the sky as He was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. / “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen Him go into heaven.”

1 John 3:2
Beloved, we are now children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when Christ appears, we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He is.


Treasury of Scripture

If you then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sits on the right hand of God.

risen.

Colossians 2:12,13,20
Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead…

Romans 6:4,5,9-11
Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life…

Galatians 2:19,20
For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God…

seek.

Colossians 3:2
Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

Psalm 16:11
Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

Psalm 17:14,15
From men which are thy hand, O LORD, from men of the world, which have their portion in this life, and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure: they are full of children, and leave the rest of their substance to their babes…

where.

Psalm 110:1
A Psalm of David. The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.

Matthew 22:44
The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool?

Matthew 26:64
Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

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Attention Christ Enthroned God's Hand Heaven However Life New Raised Right Risen Seated Seek Seeking Sitteth Sitting Together
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Colossians 3
1. He shows where we should seek Christ.
5. He exhorts to holiness;
10. to put off the old self, and put on Christ;
12. exhorting to charity, humility,
18. and other duties.














Therefore
The word "Therefore" serves as a bridge connecting the previous teachings with the new exhortations. In Greek, it is "οὖν" (oun), which indicates a conclusion or result. Paul is drawing a logical conclusion from the truths he has previously established, particularly about the believer's union with Christ in His death and resurrection. This word reminds us that our spiritual journey is built upon the foundational truths of the Gospel.

since you have been raised
The phrase "since you have been raised" is derived from the Greek "συνηγέρθητε" (synegerthete), which is in the aorist tense, indicating a completed action. This points to the believer's spiritual resurrection with Christ, a past event with ongoing implications. Historically, this reflects the early Christian understanding of baptism as a symbol of dying and rising with Christ, signifying a new life in Him.

with Christ
"With Christ" emphasizes the believer's union with Jesus. The Greek "Χριστῷ" (Christō) signifies a close association, indicating that our spiritual life is inseparable from Christ Himself. This union is central to Pauline theology, underscoring that our identity and power for living a godly life come from being in Christ.

strive for the things above
The phrase "strive for the things above" is translated from "τὰ ἄνω ζητεῖτε" (ta ano zēteite). The verb "ζητεῖτε" (zēteite) is in the present imperative, suggesting continuous action. It calls believers to actively and persistently seek heavenly realities. This reflects a mindset shift from earthly concerns to eternal values, aligning with the teachings of Jesus about storing treasures in heaven.

where Christ is
"Where Christ is" points to the current exalted position of Jesus. The Greek "ὅπου ὁ Χριστός" (hopou ho Christos) emphasizes His presence in the heavenly realm. This serves as a reminder of Christ's victory and authority, encouraging believers to focus on His lordship and the hope of His return.

seated at the right hand of God
The phrase "seated at the right hand of God" is rich with biblical and historical significance. In Greek, "ἐν δεξιᾷ τοῦ Θεοῦ" (en dexia tou Theou) denotes a position of honor and authority. This imagery is rooted in Psalm 110:1 and was a common expression in the early church to affirm Christ's divine authority and His role as our intercessor. It reassures believers of Christ's sovereign rule and His active involvement in the world and our lives.

III.

(1-4) As the partaking of the death of Christ taught the negative lesson of death to the Law, so the partaking of His resurrection teaches the positive lesson of the spiritual life. We observe that this celebrated passage occupies a place at the close of the doctrinal portion of the Epistle, exactly corresponding to the even greater passage on the unity of the Church in God in the Epistle to the Ephesians (Ephesians 4:1-16). It is unlike that passage, because, summing up the main teaching of this Epistle, it dwells simply on the close personal relation of all souls to God in Jesus Christ, who is at once "the image of God," and the one Mediator between God and man. It is like it (and like other passages of the Epistles of the Captivity) because it passes on from Christ risen to Christ in heaven: it takes for granted our being risen with Christ, and bids us in heart to ascend to heaven now, and look forward to the bliss of heaven in the hereafter.

(1) If ye then be risen (rather, ye rose) with Christ.--In these words is marked the beginning of the spiritual life, referred evidently to baptism. (See Colossians 2:12.) It is a "resurrection with Christ" and in Christ; as such it is dwelt upon in detail in Romans 6:1-14. We may note that this phrase, implying a sudden passing from death unto life, accords more exactly with the idea of adult baptism, accepted in conscious faith, and leading at once to a new life; while the later phrase, "regeneration" (Titus 3:5), which speaks of the soul as passing, indeed, at once into a new condition, but as having only the undeveloped germ of the new life, corresponds more closely with the idea of the infant baptism, which gradually superseded the other. Here this spiritual resurrection is taken for granted, and the Apostle goes on at once to the next stage of the spiritual life.

Christ.--The name, four times repeated, has in all cases the article prefixed to it. Evidently it used emphatically to refer to our Lord, as our Mediator--our Prophet, Priest, and King. . . .

Verses 1-17. - SECTION VII. THE TRUE CHRISTIAN LIFE. The apostle, having delivered his attack on the system of error inculcated at Colossae, now passes from the controversial to the more practical purport of his letter. There is no break, however, in the current of his thought; for throughout this chapter he urges the pursuit of a practical Christian life in a sense and in a manner silently opposed to the tendencies of Gnosticizing error. How much more congenial was the task to which he now addresses himself we may judge, perhaps, from the ease and simplicity which mark the language of this chapter, as compared with the abrupt and seemingly embarrassed style of the last section. We may analyze the hortatory section of the Epistle (Colossians 3:1-4:6) as follows:

(a) Colossians 3:1-4, urging the Colossians to maintain a lofty spiritual life;

(b) vers. 5-8, to put off their old vices, impurity, malice, falsehood;

(c) vers. 9-14, to put on the new Christian virtues, especially gentleness, forgivingness, love; . . .

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
Therefore,
οὖν (oun)
Conjunction
Strong's 3767: Therefore, then. Apparently a primary word; certainly, or accordingly.

since
Εἰ (Ei)
Conjunction
Strong's 1487: If. A primary particle of conditionality; if, whether, that, etc.

you have been raised with
συνηγέρθητε (synēgerthēte)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4891: To raise along with. From sun and egeiro; to rouse in company with, i.e. to revivify in resemblance to.

Christ,
Χριστῷ (Christō)
Noun - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5547: Anointed One; the Messiah, the Christ. From chrio; Anointed One, i.e. The Messiah, an epithet of Jesus.

strive for
ζητεῖτε (zēteite)
Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 2212: To seek, search for, desire, require, demand. Of uncertain affinity; to seek; specially, to worship, or to plot.

the things
τὰ (ta)
Article - Accusative Neuter Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

above,
ἄνω (anō)
Adverb
Strong's 507: Up, above, up to the top, up to the brim, things above, heaven, the heavenly region. Adverb from anti; upward or on the top.

where
οὗ (hou)
Adverb
Strong's 3757: Where, whither, when, in what place. Genitive case of hos as adverb; at which place, i.e. Where.

Christ
Χριστός (Christos)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5547: Anointed One; the Messiah, the Christ. From chrio; Anointed One, i.e. The Messiah, an epithet of Jesus.

is
ἐστιν (estin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

seated
καθήμενος (kathēmenos)
Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2521: To sit, be seated, enthroned; I dwell, reside. From kata; and hemai; to sit down; figuratively, to remain, reside.

at
ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

[the] right hand
δεξιᾷ (dexia)
Adjective - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1188: On the right hand, right hand, right. From dechomai; the right side or hand.

of God.
Θεοῦ (Theou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 2316: A deity, especially the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very.


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NT Letters: Colossians 3:1 If then you were raised together (Coloss. Col Co)
Colossians 2:23
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