Colossians 3:5

Mortify

(νεκρωσατε). First aorist active imperative of νεκροω, late verb, to put to death, to treat as dead. Latin Vulgate mortifico, but "mortify" is coming with us to mean putrify. Paul boldly applies the metaphor of death (Colossians 2:20; Colossians 3:3) pictured in baptism (Colossians 2:12) to the actual life of the Christian. He is not to go to the other Gnostic extreme of license on the plea that the soul is not affected by the deeds of the body. Paul's idea is that the body is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). He mentions some of these "members upon the earth" like fornication (πορνειαν), uncleanness (ακαθαρσιαν), passion (παθος), evil desire (επιθυμιαν κακην), covetousness (πλεονεξιαν) "the which is idolatry" (ητις εστιν ειδωλολατρια). See the longer list of the works of the flesh in Galatians 5:19-21, though covetousness is not there named, but it is in Ephesians 4:19; Ephesians 5:5.