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Colossians 3

Paul grounds the church’s shared life and household conduct in union with Christ, calling believers to holiness under his lordship.

Paul addresses the believers in Colossae as people raised with Christ whose life is hidden with him in God. He calls them to put away their former sins and put on conduct that fits their new identity. The focus moves from desires and speech to the shared life of the church, then to wives and husbands, children and fathers, and enslaved servants. Christ’s authority governs each relationship, and wrongdoing faces God’s impartial judgment.

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1If then you were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God.
2Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are on the earth.
3For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
4When Christ, our life, is revealed, then you will also be revealed with him in glory.
5Put to death therefore your members which are on the earth: sexual immorality, uncleanness, depraved passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
6For these things’ sake the wrath of God comes on the children of disobedience.
7You also once walked in those, when you lived in them,
8but now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and shameful speaking out of your mouth.
9Don’t lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old man with his doings,
10and have put on the new man, who is being renewed in knowledge after the image of his Creator,
11where there can’t be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bondservant, or free person; but Christ is all, and in all.
12Put on therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, humility, and perseverance;
13bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, if any man has a complaint against any; even as Christ forgave you, so you also do.
14Above all these things, walk in love, which is the bond of perfection.
15And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body, and be thankful.
16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your heart to the Lord.
17Whatever you do, in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
18Wives, be in subjection to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
19Husbands, love your wives, and don’t be bitter against them.
20Children, obey your parents in all things, for this pleases the Lord.
21Fathers, don’t provoke your children, so that they won’t be discouraged.
22Servants, obey in all things those who are your masters according to the flesh, not just when they are looking, as men pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing God.
23And whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,
24knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.
25But he who does wrong will receive again for the wrong that he has done, and there is no partiality.
World English BibleRead in NIV in Psalmlog →Highlighted verses are the most connected.
Key verses
Colossians 3:10Renewal in the Creator’s image explains the break with former conduct and the shared identity that crosses social divisions.
Colossians 3:12Paul grounds the command to put on compassion in the believers’ identity as chosen, holy, and beloved by God.
Colossians 3:17Doing everything in Jesus’ name brings speech and action under his authority and leads into the household instructions.
Where this chapter reaches

Ephesians shares the imagery of putting off an old self and putting on a new self, along with instructions for worship and household relationships. Romans shares the connection between life with Christ and putting sinful conduct to death, grounding changed behavior in participation in his death and resurrection.

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After reading the whole chapter

How does being loved by God shape your reading of the commands to put off and put on?

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What connections do you notice between the church’s shared worship and its conduct at home?

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Questions people ask about Colossians 3

What does Colossians 3 mean by setting your mind on things above?

Paul identifies the things above with Christ, seated at God’s right hand. Believers have died and been raised with him, and their future glory rests with him. The commands that follow show this focus taking shape in earthly conduct, including truthful speech, forgiveness, and responsibilities within the household.

What does “Put to death” mean in Colossians 3:5?

Paul uses forceful language for ending sinful practices and desires. The list that follows names sexual immorality and covetousness, among other sins; the next section addresses destructive speech. The command concerns rejecting sin. Nothing in the passage directs bodily injury or self-harm. Its basis is the believer’s new life with Christ.

Does Colossians 3:22 approve of slavery?

Paul addresses enslaved servants within an existing household system and commands service under Christ’s authority. This chapter contains no command to abolish slavery, and it does not declare human ownership good. It promises these servants an inheritance from the Lord and ends by saying wrongdoing faces judgment without partiality.

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Colossians · 4 chapters
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Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).