Colossians 3:7-17

7 and 1in them you also once walked, when you were living in them.
8 But now you also, 2put them all aside: 3anger, wrath, malice, slander, and 4abusive speech from your mouth.
9 5Do not lie to one another, since you 6laid aside the old self with its evil practices,
10 and have 7put on the new self who is being 8renewed to a true knowledge 9according to the image of the One who 10created him-
11 a renewal in which 11there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, 12circumcised and uncircumcised, 13barbarian, Scythian, 14slave and freeman, but 15Christ is all, and in all.
12 So, as those who have been 16chosen of God, holy and beloved, 17put on a 18heart of compassion, kindness, 19humility, gentleness and 20patience;
13 21bearing with one another, and 22forgiving each other, whoever * has a complaint against anyone; 23just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.
14 Beyond all these things put on love, which is 24the perfect bond of 25unity.
15 Let 26the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in 27one body; and be thankful.
16 Let 28the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom 29teaching and admonishing one another 30with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, 31singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
17 32Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, 33giving thanks through Him to God the Father.

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Colossians 3:7-17 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 33

  • 1. Ephesians 2:2
  • 2. Ephesians 4:22
  • 3. Ephesians 4:31
  • 4. Ephesians 4:29
  • 5. Ephesians 4:25
  • 6. Ephesians 4:22
  • 7. Ephesians 4:24
  • 8. Romans 12:2; 2 Corinthians 4:16; Ephesians 4:23
  • 9. Genesis 1:26; Romans 8:29
  • 10. Ephesians 2:10
  • 11. Romans 10:12; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Galatians 3:28
  • 12. 1 Corinthians 7:19; Galatians 5:6
  • 13. Acts 28:2
  • 14. Ephesians 6:8
  • 15. Ephesians 1:23
  • 16. Luke 18:7
  • 17. Ephesians 4:24
  • 18. Luke 1:78; Galatians 5:22; Philippians 2:1
  • 19. Ephesians 4:2; Philippians 2:3
  • 20. 1 Corinthians 13:4; 2 Corinthians 6:6
  • 21. Ephesians 4:2
  • 22. Romans 15:7; Ephesians 4:32
  • 23. Romans 15:7; Ephesians 4:32
  • 24. Ephesians 4:3
  • 25. John 17:23; Hebrews 6:1
  • 26. John 14:27
  • 27. Ephesians 2:16
  • 28. Romans 10:17; Ephesians 5:26; 1 Thessalonians 1:8
  • 29. Colossians 1:28
  • 30. Ephesians 5:19
  • 31. 1 Corinthians 14:15
  • 32. 1 Corinthians 10:31
  • 33. Ephesians 5:20; Colossians 3:15

Footnotes 14

  • [a]. Or "among these"
  • [b]. Or "Stop lying"
  • [c]. Gr "anthropos"
  • [d]. Lit "renovated"
  • [e]. I.e. those who were not Greeks, either by birth or by culture
  • [f]. I.e. forbearance toward others
  • [g]. Lit "the uniting bond of perfection"
  • [h]. Or "act as arbiter"
  • [i]. Lit "also"
  • [j]. Or "show yourselves thankful"
  • [k]. One early ms reads "the Lord"
  • [l]. Or "in"
  • [m]. Or "one another, singing with psalms..."
  • [n]. Or "by;" lit "in His grace"
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