Colossians 3:8-18

8 Also get rid of your anger, hot tempers, hatred, cursing, obscene language, and all similar sins.

9 Don't lie to each other. You've gotten rid of the person you used to be and the life you used to live,

10 and you've become a new person. This new person is continually renewed in knowledge to be like its Creator.

11 Where this happens, there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, uncivilized person, slave, or free person. Instead, Christ is everything and in everything.

12 As holy people whom God has chosen and loved, be sympathetic, kind, humble, gentle, and patient.

13 Put up with each other, and forgive each other if anyone has a complaint. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

14 Above all, be loving.This ties everything together perfectly.

15 Also, let Christ's peace control you. God has called you into this peace by bringing you into one body. Be thankful.

16 Let Christ's word with all its wisdom and richness live in you. Use psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to teach and instruct yourselves about [God's] kindness. Sing to God in your hearts.

17 Everything you say or do should be done in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

18 Wives, place yourselves under your husbands' authority. This is appropriate behavior for the Lord's people.

Colossians 3:8-18 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.