1 If then ye were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are upon the earth. 3 For ye died, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, [who is] our life, shall be manifested, then shall ye also with him be manifested in glory. 5 Put to death therefore your members which are upon the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry; 6 for which things’ sake cometh the wrath of God upon the sons of disobedience: 7 wherein ye also once walked, when ye lived in these things; 8 but now do ye also put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, railing, shameful speaking out of your mouth: 9 lie not one to another; seeing that ye have put off the old man with his doings, 10 and have put on the new man, that is being renewed unto knowledge after the image of him that created him: 11 where there cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bondman, freeman; but Christ is all, and in all. 12 Put on therefore, as God’s elect, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, longsuffering; 13 forbearing one another, and forgiving each other, if any man have a complaint against any; even as the Lord forgave you, so also do ye: 14 and above all these things [put on] love, which is the bond of perfectness. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to the which also ye were called in one body; and be ye thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms [and] hymns [and] spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts unto God. 17 And whatsoever ye do, in word or in deed, [do] all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. 18 Wives, be in subjection to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them. 20 Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing in the Lord. 21 Fathers, provoke not your children, that they be not discouraged. 22 Servants, obey in all things them that are your masters according to the flesh; not with eye-service, as men-pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing the Lord: 23 whatsoever ye do, work heartily, as unto the Lord, and not unto men; 24 knowing that from the Lord ye shall receive the recompense of the inheritance: ye serve the Lord Christ. 25 For he that doeth wrong shall receive again for the wrong that he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.
Colossians · American Standard Version (1901)
Colossians 3 American Standard Version (1901)
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Cross references (25)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Romans 8:6; Matthew 6:33; 2 Corinthians 4:18; Colossians 3:2; Matthew 6:20
- 2 1 John 2:15–17; 1 Chronicles 22:19; Colossians 3:1; Matthew 16:23; Romans 8:4–6
- 3 Galatians 2:20; Romans 6:2; Colossians 2:20; John 5:24; Romans 8:2
- 4 John 11:25; 1 John 3:2; Galatians 2:20; 1 Peter 1:13; Philippians 3:21
- 5 Romans 8:13; Galatians 5:19–21; Galatians 5:24; 1 Peter 2:11; Romans 6:13
- 6 Ephesians 5:6; Romans 1:18; 1 Peter 1:14; Ezekiel 16:45–46; Revelation 22:15
- 7 Ephesians 2:2; 1 Peter 4:3–4; Romans 6:19–20; Titus 3:3; 1 Corinthians 6:11
- 8 Ephesians 4:29; Ephesians 4:22; James 1:20–21; Ephesians 5:4; Colossians 3:5
- 9 Ephesians 4:22; Ephesians 4:25; Leviticus 19:11; Romans 6:6; John 8:44
- 10 Ephesians 4:23–24; Romans 12:2; Colossians 3:12; Ephesians 2:10; 2 Corinthians 5:17
- 11 Galatians 3:28–29; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Romans 10:12; Ephesians 3:6; Ephesians 1:23
- 12 Ephesians 4:32; Ephesians 4:2; 1 John 4:19; 2 Peter 1:5–8; Galatians 5:22–23
- 13 Ephesians 4:32; Mark 11:25; James 2:13; Ephesians 4:2; Matthew 6:14–15
- 14 1 Peter 4:8; Ephesians 5:2; 1 Corinthians 13:1–13; Colossians 2:2; John 13:34
- 15 John 14:27; Philippians 4:6–7; Isaiah 26:3; Romans 15:13; Psalm 29:11
- 16 Psalm 119:11; Ephesians 5:19; John 15:7; Romans 10:17; Jeremiah 15:16
- 17 1 Corinthians 10:31; Colossians 3:23; Proverbs 3:6; Ephesians 5:20; 1 Thessalonians 5:18
- 18 Ephesians 5:22–6:9; Titus 2:4–5; 1 Corinthians 11:3; 1 Peter 3:1–6; Genesis 3:16
- 19 1 Peter 3:7; Genesis 2:23–24; Ephesians 5:25; Colossians 3:21; Ephesians 5:28–29
- 20 Exodus 20:12; Ephesians 6:1–3; Proverbs 6:20; Matthew 19:19; Matthew 15:4–6
- 21 Proverbs 4:1–4; Ephesians 6:4; Psalm 103:13; Proverbs 3:12; 1 Thessalonians 2:11
- 22 Ephesians 6:5–7; Galatians 1:10; 1 Timothy 6:1–2; 1 Peter 2:18–19; Titus 2:9–10
- 23 Colossians 3:17; Ephesians 6:6–7; Romans 14:8; 2 Chronicles 31:21; Ecclesiastes 9:10
- 24 Ephesians 6:8; Acts 20:32; Galatians 1:10; Luke 14:14; 1 Corinthians 7:22
- 25 Acts 10:34; Romans 2:11; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Deuteronomy 10:17; Ephesians 6:9
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
I know that many are offended by the foregoing discourse, but what can I do? ye heard what the Master enjoined. Am I to blame? what shall I do? See ye not the creditors, when debtors are obstinate, how they wear collars? Heard ye what Paul proclaimed today?
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 13 (1889)
… of the flesh, and receiving the Holy Spirit; as the apostle says in the Epistle to the Colossians: "Mortify, therefore, your members which are upon the earth." And what these are he himself explains: "Fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence; and covetousness, which is idolatry." The laying aside of these is what the apostle preaches; and he declares that those …
But so soon as I understood, withal, that man made "after the image of Him that created him" was not so understood by Thy spiritual sons (whom of the Catholic mother Thou hadst begotten again through grace), as though they believed and imagined Thee to be bounded by human form,--although what was the nature of a spiritual substance I had …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)
As also in another place he said in clearer words, "Our life is hid with Christ in God." Be then of a good heart about it.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 11 (1889)
Put off, by confession, the old man, which waxeth corrupt after the lusts of deceit, that ye may put on the new man, which is renewed according to knowledge of Him that created him.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)