1 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. 2 Keep your mind on the higher things, not on the things of earth. 3 For your life on earth is done, and you have a secret life with Christ in God. 4 At the coming of Christ who is our life, you will be seen with him in glory. 5 Then put to death your bodies which are of the earth; wrong use of the flesh, unclean things, passion, evil desires and envy, which is the worship of strange gods; 6 Because of which the wrath of God comes on those who go against his orders; 7 Among whom you were living in the past, when you did such things. 8 But now it is right for you to put away all these things; wrath, passion, bad feeling, curses, unclean talk; 9 Do not make false statements to one another; because you have put away the old man with all his doings, 10 And have put on the new man, which has become new in knowledge after the image of his maker; 11 Where there is no Greek or Jew, no one with circumcision or without circumcision, no division between nations, no servant or free man: but Christ is all and in all. 12 As saints of God, then, holy and dearly loved, let your behaviour be marked by pity and mercy, kind feeling, a low opinion of yourselves, gentle ways, and a power of undergoing all things; 13 Being gentle to one another and having forgiveness for one another, if anyone has done wrong to his brother, even as the Lord had forgiveness for you: 14 And more than all, have love; the only way in which you may be completely joined together. 15 And let the peace of Christ be ruling in your hearts, as it was the purpose of God for you to be one body; and give praise to God at all times. 16 Let the word of Christ be in you in all wealth of wisdom; teaching and helping one another with songs of praise and holy words, making melody to God with grace in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, in word or in act, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving praise to God the Father through him. 18 Wives, be under the authority of your husbands, as is right in the Lord. 19 Husbands, have love for your wives, and be not bitter against them. 20 Children, do the orders of your fathers and mothers in all things, for this is pleasing to the Lord. 21 Fathers, do not be hard on your children, so that their spirit may not be broken. 22 Servants, in all things do the orders of your natural masters; not only when their eyes are on you, as pleasers of men, but with all your heart, fearing the Lord: 23 Whatever you do, do it readily, as to the Lord and not to men; 24 Being certain that the Lord will give you the reward of the heritage: for you are the servants of the Lord Christ. 25 For the wrongdoer will have punishment for the wrong he has done, without respect for any man's position.
Colossians · Bible in Basic English
Colossians 3 Bible in Basic English
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)