Colossians · Free Bible Version
Colossians 3 Free Bible Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 So if you've been brought back to life with Christ, look for what comes from above, where Christ is, sitting at God's right hand.
1 If then you were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God.
2 Fix your mind on what's above, not what's here on earth.
2 Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are on the earth.
3 You died, and your life is kept safe with Christ in God.
3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
4 When Christ—your life—is revealed, then you will also share in his visible glory.
4 When Christ, our life, is revealed, then you will also be revealed with him in glory.
5 So kill your worldly nature—sexual sin, immorality, lust, evil desires, greedily wanting to have more—this is the worship of idols.
5 Put to death therefore your members which are on the earth: sexual immorality, uncleanness, depraved passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
6 Because of such things, those who disobey experience God's judgment.
6 For these things’ sake the wrath of God comes on the children of disobedience.
7 At one time you lived like that when you behaved in such a way,
7 You also once walked in those, when you lived in them,
8 but now you should get rid of such things as anger, rage, wickedness, abuse, and using obscenities.
8 but now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and shameful speaking out of your mouth.
9 Don't lie to each other, since you've discarded your old self and what you used to do,
9 Don’t lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old man with his doings,
10 and put on your new self that is always being made more like your Creator, understanding better who he really is.
10 and have put on the new man, who is being renewed in knowledge after the image of his Creator,
11 In this new situation there's no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, foreigner, barbarian, slave or free, for Christ is everything, and he lives in all of us.
11 where there can’t be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bondservant, or free person; but Christ is all, and in all.
12 Since you are God's special people, holy and dearly loved, adopt a sympathetic nature that is kind, humble, gentle, and patient.
12 Put on therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, humility, and perseverance;
13 Be patient with one another, forgive others among you if you have grievances against one another. Just as the Lord forgave you, you should do the same.
13 bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, if any man has a complaint against any; even as Christ forgave you, so you also do.
14 Above all, love one another, which is the perfect bond that will hold you together.
14 Above all these things, walk in love, which is the bond of perfection.
15 May the peace of Christ direct your thinking, because you were called to this by God who makes you one, and thank God for it!
15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body, and be thankful.
16 Let Christ's message fully live in you. In every wise way teach and instruct one another through psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing praises to God in gratitude and sincerity.
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your heart to the Lord.
17 Whatever you do, whether in word or action, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, praising God the Father through him.
17 Whatever you do, in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
18 You married women, respect your husbands appropriately in the Lord.
18 Wives, be in subjection to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
19 You married men, love your wives and don't treat them badly.
19 Husbands, love your wives, and don’t be bitter against them.
20 You children, always do what your parents tell you because this is what pleases the Lord.
20 Children, obey your parents in all things, for this pleases the Lord.
21 You fathers, don't make your children mad, so they won't feel like giving up.
21 Fathers, don’t provoke your children, so that they won’t be discouraged.
22 Those of you who are servants, do everything your human masters tell you, not with just an eye to please them, but honestly and sincerely, respecting the Lord.
22 Servants, obey in all things those who are your masters according to the flesh, not just when they are looking, as men pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing God.
23 Do whatever you do really well, as if you're doing it for God, and not for people,
23 And whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,
24 because you know that the Lord will give you your reward—an inheritance! You're serving Christ the Lord!
24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.
25 Whoever does what's wrong will be paid back for the wrong they've done, and God has no favorites.
25 But he who does wrong will receive again for the wrong that he has done, and there is no partiality.
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)