1 Therefore, since you have been raised with Christ, strive for the things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. 5 Put to death, therefore, the components of your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming on the sons of disobedience. 7 When you lived among them, you also used to walk in these ways. 8 But now you must put aside all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you have taken off the old self with its practices, 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 11 Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, or free, but Christ is all and is in all. 12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with hearts of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Bear with one another and forgive any complaint you may have against someone else. Forgive as Christ forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which is the bond of perfect unity. 15 Let the peace of God rule in your hearts, for to this you were called as members of one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. 18 Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them. 20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is pleasing to the Lord. 21 Fathers, do not provoke your children, so they will not become discouraged. 22 Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything, not only to please them while they are watching, but with sincerity of heart and fear of God. 23 And whatever you do, work at it with your whole being, as for the Lord and not for men, 24 because you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as your reward. For it is the Lord Christ you are serving. 25 But whoever does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism.
Colossians · Majority Standard Bible
Colossians 3 Majority Standard Bible
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)