Colossians 3

King James Version

Full text for Colossians Chapter 3

1¶ If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

2Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

3For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

4When Christ, [who is] our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

5¶ Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:

6For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:

7In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.

8¶ But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.

9Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;

10And have put on the new [man], which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

11Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond [nor] free: but Christ [is] all, and in all.

12¶ Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;

13Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also [do] ye.

14And above all these things [put on] charity, which is the bond of perfectness.

15And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

17And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, [do] all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

18¶ Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.

19Husbands, love [your] wives, and be not bitter against them.

20Children, obey [your] parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.

21Fathers, provoke not your children [to anger], lest they be discouraged.

22Servants, obey in all things [your] masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God:

23And whatsoever ye do, do [it] heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;

24Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.

25But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

As those risen with Christ, believers are exhorted to seek heavenly things and set their affections above, recognizing their old life is dead and their new life is hidden with Christ. This new identity demands putting off earthly vices such as fornication, anger, and lying, and instead putting on virtues like mercies, kindness, and charity. Furthermore, all actions, including household duties, are to be performed heartily as unto the Lord, giving thanks to God.

Medium Summary

The chapter begins by urging believers, who are spiritually risen with Christ, to focus on heavenly matters rather than earthly desires, for their true life is hidden with Christ. Consequently, they are commanded to mortify their earthly members, including fornication, uncleanness, and covetousness, which provoke God's wrath. Believers must also shed anger, malice, and lying, having put off the old man and put on the new, which is renewed in knowledge and transcends social distinctions. Instead, they are to clothe themselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering, and especially charity, which binds all virtues together. The peace of God should rule their hearts, and the word of Christ dwell richly within them, leading to thankful living and doing all in the name of the Lord Jesus. The chapter concludes with specific instructions for household relationships: wives submitting, husbands loving, children obeying, fathers not provoking, and servants obeying masters heartily as unto the Lord, anticipating a divine reward and impartial judgment.

Long Summary

Colossians 3 opens with a foundational call for believers, who have been raised with Christ, to orient their lives towards heavenly realities, seeking those things where Christ is seated at God's right hand. This spiritual resurrection implies that their former earthly life is dead, and their true life is now hidden with Christ in God, awaiting future glory with Him. Therefore, the apostle commands them to actively "mortify" or put to death their earthly members, listing specific vices such as fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is equated with idolatry and incurs divine wrath. Believers are reminded that they once walked in these sins but are now to put them off entirely, along with anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, and filthy communication. They are also admonished to refrain from lying to one another, having shed the "old man" with his deeds. In contrast, they are to "put on the new man," which is continuously renewed in knowledge according to the image of its Creator, emphasizing a spiritual renewal that transcends all social, ethnic, or economic distinctions, for Christ is all and in all. As God's elect, holy and beloved, they are further exhorted to clothe themselves with a new set of virtues: bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, and longsuffering. This includes mutual forbearance and forgiveness, mirroring Christ's forgiveness towards them, and above all, charity, which serves as the perfect bond. The chapter encourages allowing the peace of God to rule in their hearts and the word of Christ to dwell richly within them, fostering wisdom, mutual teaching, admonition through spiritual songs, and a spirit of thankfulness. Every action, whether in word or deed, is to be performed in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. The epistle then transitions to practical instructions for household relationships, addressing wives to submit to their husbands as fitting in the Lord, and husbands to love their wives without bitterness. Children are commanded to obey their parents in all things, which is pleasing to the Lord, while fathers are warned not to provoke their children to anger, lest they become discouraged. Finally, servants are instructed to obey their earthly masters heartily and sincerely, not merely as men-pleasers but fearing God, doing all as unto the Lord, with the assurance of receiving an inheritance from Him, for they truly serve Christ. The chapter concludes with a reminder that wrongdoers will receive due recompense, as God shows no partiality.

Core Concepts

  • New Life in ChristBelievers are spiritually "risen with Christ," signifying a new existence where their life is "hid with Christ in God," directing their affections towards heavenly things.
  • Mortification of Earthly DesiresThe command to "mortify" or put to death sinful earthly practices such as fornication, uncleanness, covetousness, anger, and lying, which are characteristic of the "old man."
  • Putting on the New ManThe spiritual transformation where believers shed their former sinful ways and adopt a new identity, renewed in knowledge after the image of their Creator, where Christ is all.
  • Christian VirtuesAn exhortation to clothe oneself with specific virtues like mercies, kindness, humbleness, meekness, longsuffering, and above all, "charity," which is presented as the "bond of perfectness."
  • Unity in ChristThe declaration that in the new spiritual identity, traditional distinctions such as Greek or Jew, bond or free, are abolished, as "Christ is all, and in all."
  • Household ResponsibilitiesPractical instructions for various relationships within the household—wives, husbands, children, fathers, and servants—emphasizing that all duties should be performed heartily "as to the Lord."