Colossians 3:1-17

Put On the New Self

1 ¹If then you have been raised with Christ, seek ²the things that are above, where Christ is, ³seated at the right hand of God.

2 ⁴Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.

3 For ⁵you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

4 When Christ ⁶who is your^[a] life ⁷appears, then you also will appear with him ⁸in glory.

5 ⁹Put to death therefore ¹⁰what is earthly in you:^[b]11sexual immorality, impurity, ¹²passion, evil desire, and covetousness, ¹³which is idolatry.

6 ¹⁴On account of these the wrath of God is coming.^[c]

7 ¹⁵In these you too once walked, when you were living in them.

8 But now ¹⁶you must put them all away: ¹⁷anger, wrath, malice, ¹⁸slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.

9 ¹⁹Do not lie to one another, seeing that ²⁰you have put off ²¹the old self^[d] with its practices

10 and ²²have put on ²³the new self, ²⁴which is being renewed in knowledge ²⁵after the image of ²⁶its creator.

11 ²⁷Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave,^[e] free; but Christ is ²⁸all, and in all.

12 ²⁹Put on then, as ³⁰God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, ³¹compassionate hearts, ³²kindness, ³³humility, meekness, and patience,

13 ³⁴bearing with one another and, ³⁵if one has a complaint against another, ³⁶forgiving each other; ³⁷as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.

14 And above all these put on ³⁸love, which ³⁹binds everything together in ⁴⁰perfect harmony.

15 And let ⁴¹the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called ⁴²in one body. And ⁴³be thankful.

16 Let ⁴⁴the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, ⁴⁵singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, ⁴⁶with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

17 And ⁴⁷whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, ⁴⁸giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Colossians 3:1-17 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

• 1. Colossians 2:12
• 2. [Philippians 3:14]
• 3. See Ephesians 1:20
• 4. See Matthew 16:23
• 5. Colossians 2:20; See Romans 6:2
• 6. See John 11:25
• 7. [1 John 3:21">Phil. 1 John 3:21; 1 Pet. 1:1, 7, 13; 1 John 2:28; 1 John 3:2]
• 8. 1 Corinthians 15:43
• 9. Romans 8:13; [Galatians 5:24]
• 10. Romans 6:13
• 11. See Ephesians 5:3, 5
• 12. Romans 1:26
• 13. [Job 31:25, 26]
• 14. See Ephesians 5:6
• 15. See Ephesians 2:2, 11
• 16. See Ephesians 4:22
• 17. Ephesians 4:31
• 18. See Ephesians 4:29
• 19. Leviticus 19:11; See Ephesians 4:25
• 20. Colossians 2:11
• 21. Romans 6:6; Ephesians 4:22
• 22. Ephesians 4:24
• 23. See Romans 6:4
• 24. See Romans 12:2
• 25. See Romans 8:29
• 26. [Ephesians 2:10]
• 27. [Romans 10:12]; See 1 Corinthians 12:13; Galatians 5:6
• 28. Ephesians 1:23
• 29. ver. 10
• 30. Romans 8:33
• 31. Philippians 2:1
• 32. Ephesians 4:32
• 33. See Ephesians 4:2
• 34. [See ver. 12 above]
• 35. Mark 11:25
• 36. [See ver. 12 above]
• 37. [See ver. 12 above]
• 38. [1 Thessalonians 5:8]; See Ephesians 5:2
• 39. Ephesians 4:3
• 40. Hebrews 6:1; [John 17:23]
• 41. See Philippians 4:7
• 42. Ephesians 2:16
• 43. ver. 17
• 44. John 15:3
• 45. See Ephesians 5:19
• 46. Colossians 4:6
• 47. ver. 23; 1 Corinthians 10:31
• 48. Colossians 1:12; Colossians 4:2; See Ephesians 5:20

Footnotes

• [a]. Some manuscripts our
• [b]. Greek therefore your members that are on the earth
• [c]. Some manuscripts add upon the sons of disobedience
• [d]. Greek man; also as supplied in verse 10
• [e]. Greek bondservant