For similar lists of vices see 1 Cor 6.9-10, Gal 5.19-21, Eph 5.1-5, 1 Peter 2.1, 4.1-3. Put to death: this verb occurs twice again (Rom 4.19, Heb 11.12) in a literal sense; only here is it used figuratively (compare the synonymous thanatoō in Rom 8.13), meaning “destroy, do away with completely” (see also Rom 6.11). As Moule points out, the English verb “mortify” (as in King James Version), though etymologically accurate, carries today a different meaning from what is commanded here.f 7 fr 3.5 ft Moule, op. cit., p. 114.
The figurative expression put to death is a forceful one and should be retained if possible. However, it may lead to misunderstanding, since “to kill desires” might suggest a complete loss of desire to live. A more satisfactory equivalent in some languages is “get rid of completely,” or “eliminate completely from yourselves,” or “cause completely to have no more influence.”
The earthly desires at work in you represents what is literally “the members that are upon the earth” (compare King James Version). It is an odd phrase, for which no exact parallel has been found (see Rom 6.13). Lightfoot’s explanation may be the best one: “the old man (see verse 9) with all his members must be pitilessly slain,” and he refers to Matt 5.29-30 for similar language.f 8 fr 3.5 ft Lightfoot, op. cit., p. 209. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch has: “therefore put to death what of the old man still lives in you.” Barclay translates, “You must put an end to the use of any part of your body for worldly and immoral purposes.”
In a number of languages, there are two quite distinct words for desires; one refers to appropriate desires and another to evil ones. It is obviously the second term which is meant in this context, since all of the specific designations for these desires are related to certain kinds of sin. If a term for desires does suggest wrong desires, then it may not be necessary to add a term for earthly. In fact it is rarely possible to use an equivalent of earthly which has any reference to the earth itself. The only way in which “the earth” can be introduced is in a rather elaborate clause, for example, “desires which people in the world have.”
It is rare that one can speak of “desires at work,” for the very fact that one “desires something” indicates that in a sense the desire is active. Accordingly, the earthly desires at work in you, such as sexual immorality … may be expressed as “your evil desires for unlawful sex….”
The first sin listed covers “every kind of unlawful sexual intercourse” (A&G); indecency (Good News Translation) or “impurity” (Revised Standard Version) is usually associated with sexual sins, and is joined to sexual immorality in Rom 1.24, 2 Cor 12.21, Gal 5.19, Eph 5.3, 1 Thes 4.7. The next word lust (Good News Translation) or “passion” (Revised Standard Version) also refers to sexual passion (see Rom 1.26, 1 Thes 4.5), which results in sexual sin.
In a number of languages, it may be difficult to distinguish properly between indecency, sexual immorality and lust. Since all of these refer to certain aspects of sexual sin, it may be possible simply to use an expression such as “desire to engage in all kinds of unlawful sexual sins.” In some languages, an equivalent of these expressions in Greek would be expressed in figurative language, for example, “desires to act like a dog,” or “desires to be constantly hot with sex,” or “constantly desiring to rub bellies.”
Evil passions (Good News Translation) or “evil desire” (Revised Standard Version) may be narrowly restricted to sex or more broadly associated with evil of self-centered desire, which is the basic cause of all sins. The noun itself may be morally neutral or even good, and so the qualifying adjective “evil” is added. If evil passions are to be interpreted in terms of sex relations, the meaning may be incorporated or joined with the preceding three expressions. If however, evil passions are to be understood in a more general sense, the phrase may be translated as “desires to do evil” or “constantly wanting to do what is bad.”
The Greek word for greed is literally “a desire to have more.” In Eph 5.5 it is also made equivalent to idolatry. The reasoning seems to be that Mammon becomes the god that a covetous person worships and serves in the place of God (Matt 6.24). Greed may be rendered as “a desire to have many things” or even “a desire to have much more than others.”
Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to the Colossians. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1977. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .