Colossians 3:2-12

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 your^[a] life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.

6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.^[b]

7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived.

8 But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.

9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your 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 Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.

12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

Colossians 3:2-12 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. Philippians 3:19,20
• 2. S Romans 6:2; 2 Corinthians 5:14
• 3. Galatians 2:20
• 4. 1 Corinthians 1:7
• 5. 1 Peter 1:13; 1 John 3:2
• 6. S Romans 6:2; S Ephesians 4:22
• 7. S Galatians 5:24
• 8. S 1 Corinthians 6:18
• 9. Ephesians 5:3
• 10. Galatians 5:19-21; Ephesians 5:5
• 11. S Romans 1:18
• 12. S Ephesians 2:2
• 13. S Ephesians 4:22
• 14. Ephesians 4:31
• 15. Ephesians 4:29
• 16. S Ephesians 4:22,25
• 17. S Romans 6:6
• 18. S Romans 6:4; S Romans 13:14
• 19. Romans 12:2; S 2 Corinthians 4:16; Ephesians 4:23
• 20. Ephesians 2:10
• 21. Romans 10:12; 1 Corinthians 12:13
• 22. S 1 Corinthians 7:19
• 23. Galatians 3:28
• 24. Ephesians 1:23
• 25. ver 10
• 26. Philippians 2:3
• 27. 2 Corinthians 6:6; Galatians 5:22,23; Ephesians 4:2

Footnotes

• [a]. Some manuscripts "our"
• [b]. Some early manuscripts "coming on those who are disobedient"