Colossians 3:12-22

12 So, as those who have been ¹chosen of God, holy and beloved, ²put on a ³heart of compassion, kindness, ⁴humility, gentleness and ⁵patience;

13 ⁶bearing with one another, and ⁷forgiving each other, whoever * has a complaint against anyone; ⁸just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.

14 Beyond all these things put on love, which is ⁹the perfect bond of ¹⁰unity.

15 Let ¹¹the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in ¹²one body; and be thankful.

16 Let ¹³the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom ¹⁴teaching and admonishing one another ¹⁵with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, ¹⁶singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

17 ¹⁷Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, ¹⁸giving thanks through Him to God the Father.

Family Relations

18 ¹⁹Wives, ²⁰be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.

19 ²¹Husbands, love your wives and do not be embittered against them.

20 ²²Children, be obedient to your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing to the Lord.

21 ²³Fathers, do not exasperate your children, so that they will not lose heart.

22 ²⁴Slaves, in all things obey those who are your masters on earth, ²⁵not with external service, as those who merely please men, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.

Colossians 3:12-22 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO COLOSSIANS 3

This chapter contains exhortations to several duties, some more general, which relate to all Christians, and others more particular, which belong to saints in such and such a state of life. The apostle begins with an exhortation to seek things heavenly, and not earthly, and to set the affections on the one, and not on the other: the arguments used to enforce it are taken from the saints being risen with Christ; from Christ being in heaven at the Father's right hand; from their being dead to sin, the law, and the world; from their having life in Christ safe and secure; yea, from Christ being their life, and their appearance with him in glory, Col 3:1-4. And next he proceeds to an exhortation to the mortification of sin, and the deeds of it, which he urges from the wrath of God coming upon men for these things, and from the consideration of their former state and condition, expressed by walking and living in them, Col 3:5-7, and by a metaphor taken from the putting off and on of garments, he exhorts to the putting off of the old man, with his deeds, several of which are mentioned, Col 3:8,9, and to the putting on of the new man, and to the exercise of various graces, as mercy, meekness, forbearance, forgiveness, charity, and peace, Col 3:10-15. And then he proceeds to exhort to such duties as relate to the word and worship of God; as that the word of Christ should have an abiding place in them, and that they should teach and instruct one another by singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, and do all they did in a religious way, in the name of Christ, with thankfulness to God by him, Col 3:16,17. And closes the chapter with the duties of wives to their husbands, and of husbands to their wives, and of children to their parents, and of parents to their children, and of servants to their masters, Col 3:18-25.

Cross References

• 1. Luke 18:7
• 2. Ephesians 4:24
• 3. Luke 1:78; Galatians 5:22; Philippians 2:1
• 4. Ephesians 4:2; Philippians 2:3
• 5. 1 Corinthians 13:4; 2 Corinthians 6:6
• 6. Ephesians 4:2
• 7. Romans 15:7; Ephesians 4:32
• 8. Romans 15:7; Ephesians 4:32
• 9. Ephesians 4:3
• 10. John 17:23; Hebrews 6:1
• 11. John 14:27
• 12. Ephesians 2:16
• 13. Romans 10:17; Ephesians 5:26; 1 Thessalonians 1:8
• 14. Colossians 1:28
• 15. Ephesians 5:19
• 16. 1 Corinthians 14:15
• 17. 1 Corinthians 10:31
• 18. Ephesians 5:20; Colossians 3:15
• 19. Col 3:18-4:1: {Eph 5:22-6:9}
• 20. Ephesians 5:22
• 21. Ephesians 5:25; 1 Peter 3:7
• 22. Ephesians 6:1
• 23. Ephesians 6:4
• 24. Ephesians 6:5
• 25. Ephesians 6:6

Footnotes

• [a]. I.e. forbearance toward others
• [b]. Lit "the uniting bond of perfection"
• [c]. Or "act as arbiter"
• [d]. Lit "also"
• [e]. Or "show yourselves thankful"
• [f]. One early ms reads "the Lord"
• [g]. Or "in"
• [h]. Or "one another, singing with psalms..."
• [i]. Or "by;" lit "in His grace"
• [j]. Lit "in"
• [k]. Lit "according to the flesh"
• [l]. Lit "eyeservice"