Paul's fourfold use of "with Christ" (συν Χριστῷ) creates an unprecedented grammatical intimacy, binding believers' past death, present hiddenness, and future glory directly to Christ's own resurrection trajectory.
Colossians 3
The New Life in Christ
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.
Putting Off the Old Self
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.
Putting On the New Self
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.
Household Code
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.
Font Size 17pt
Line Spacing
Theme
Paul instructs the Colossians to live out their new identity in Christ by setting their minds on heavenly things rather than earthly pursuits. He provides practical guidance for transformation, urging believers to put off sinful behaviors and put on Christ-like virtues such as compassion, kindness, and forgiveness. The chapter concludes with household codes that address relationships between wives and husbands, children and parents, and servants and masters, all within the framework of Christian love and service.
Context
Following his theological arguments against false teaching in chapters 1-2, Paul now turns to practical Christian living that flows from union with Christ.
Key Themes
Outline
- 1-4 The New Life in Christ Paul calls believers to focus on heavenly realities since they have died and been raised with Christ.
- 5-11 Putting Off the Old Self Believers must actively eliminate sinful behaviors and attitudes that characterized their former way of life.
- 12-17 Putting On the New Self Christians are to clothe themselves with virtues that reflect Christ's character and live in unity and gratitude.
- 18-25 Household Code Paul provides instructions for Christian conduct within family and social relationships, emphasizing mutual responsibility and service to Christ.
The New Life in Christ
3:1–3:4 epistle instruction hopeful
Paul exhorts believers to focus on heavenly things since they have been raised with Christ, with their true life hidden in Christ and destined for future glory.
person_contrast
Paul's fourfold use of "with Christ" (συν Χριστῷ) creates an unprecedented grammatical intimacy, binding believers' past death, present hiddenness, and future glory directly to Christ's own resurrection trajectory.
Putting Off the Old Self
3:5–3:11 epistle instruction urgent
Paul commands believers to put to death earthly sins and put on the new self, emphasizing moral transformation and the unity of all believers in Christ regardless of ethnic or social distinctions.
theme_rarity
Paul uniquely links the elimination of specific sins (sexual immorality, greed, anger) with the dissolution of ethnic and social barriers, making moral purity inseparable from Christian unity.
Putting On the New Self
3:12–3:17 epistle instruction tender
Paul instructs believers to put on virtues of compassion, kindness, and love as God's chosen people. He emphasizes forgiveness, unity, gratitude, and doing everything in the name of Jesus.
person_contrast
Paul's command to "do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus" (v.17) uniquely positions Jesus as the unifying principle for mundane activities rather than his typical role as eschatological judge.
Household Code
3:18–4:1 epistle instruction solemn
Paul provides household codes governing relationships between wives and husbands, children and parents, and servants and masters. All relationships are to be conducted as service to Christ with mutual respect and justice.
person_contrast
Paul uniquely grounds domestic authority in Christ's justice rather than judgment, making this one of only two passages where Jesus appears as the standard for earthly power structures.
Insights
Paul uniquely links the elimination of specific sins (sexual immorality, greed, anger) with the dissolution of ethnic and social barriers, making moral purity inseparable from Christian unity.
Paul's command to "do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus" (v.17) uniquely positions Jesus as the unifying principle for mundane activities rather than his typical role as eschatological judge.
Paul uniquely grounds domestic authority in Christ's justice rather than judgment, making this one of only two passages where Jesus appears as the standard for earthly power structures.
Cross-References
Connected passages across Scripture
Colossians 3:4 2 references
Colossians 3:5 5 references
Lexicals 5
Ephesians 5:3 Lexical
But sexual immorality, and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be mentioned among you, as becomes saints;
Ephesians 4:19 Lexical
They, having become callous, gave themselves up to lust, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
Galatians 5:19 Lexical
Now the deeds of the flesh are obvious, which are: adultery, sexual immorality, uncleanness, lustfulness,
Revelation 19:2 Lexical
for his judgments are true and righteous. For he has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her sexual…
1 Thessalonians 4:5 Lexical
not in the passion of lust, even as the Gentiles who don’t know God,
Colossians 3:6 1 reference
Colossians 3:8 4 references
Lexicals 4
Ephesians 4:31 Lexical
Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, outcry, and slander be put away from you, with all malice.
Revelation 19:15 Lexical
Out of his mouth proceeds a sharp, double-edged sword that with it he should strike the nations. He will rule them with…
1 Peter 2:1 Lexical
Putting away therefore all wickedness, all deceit, hypocrisies, envies, and all evil speaking,
James 1:21 Lexical
Therefore, putting away all filthiness and overflowing of wickedness, receive with humility the implanted word, which is…
Colossians 3:11 3 references
Lexicals 3
Galatians 3:28 Lexical
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all o…
1 Corinthians 12:13 Lexical
For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free; and were all given t…
Romans 1:14 Lexical
I am debtor both to Greeks and to foreigners, both to the wise and to the foolish.
Colossians 3:12 4 references
Lexicals 4
Ephesians 4:2 Lexical
with all lowliness and humility, with patience, bearing with one another in love,
2 Corinthians 6:6 Lexical
in pureness, in knowledge, in perseverance, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in sincere love,
Galatians 5:22 Lexical
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith,
Romans 2:4 Lexical
Or do you despise the riches of his goodness, forbearance, and patience, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you…
Colossians 3:13 3 references
Lexicals 3
Ephesians 4:32 Lexical
And be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving each other, just as God also in Christ forgave you.
John 15:4 Lexical
Remain in me, and I in you. As the branch can’t bear fruit by itself unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you,…
Mark 9:50 Lexical
Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, with what will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at p…
Colossians 3:15 1 reference
Colossians 3:16 5 references
Lexicals 5
Ephesians 5:19 Lexical
speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs; singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
Colossians 1:28 Lexical
We proclaim him, admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Ch…
1 Corinthians 2:13 Lexical
We also speak these things, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritu…
Revelation 15:3 Lexical
They sang the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, “Great and marvelous are your works,…
Revelation 5:9 Lexical
They sang a new song, saying, “You are worthy to take the book and to open its seals, for you were killed, and bought us…
Colossians 3:17 1 reference
Colossians 3:18 3 references
Lexicals 3
Ephesians 5:24 Lexical
But as the assembly is subject to Christ, so let the wives also be to their own husbands in everything.
1 Peter 3:1 Lexical
In the same way, wives, be in subjection to your own husbands, so that, even if any don’t obey the Word, they may be won…
1 Peter 3:5 Lexical
For this is how in the past the holy women who hoped in God also adorned themselves, being in subjection to their own hu…
Colossians 3:19 3 references
Lexicals 3
Ephesians 5:25 Lexical
Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the assembly and gave himself up for her,
Ephesians 5:28 Lexical
Even so husbands also ought to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself.
Ephesians 5:33 Lexical
Nevertheless each of you must also love his own wife even as himself; and let the wife see that she respects her husband…
Colossians 3:20 1 reference
Colossians 3:22 3 references
Lexicals 3
Ephesians 6:5 Lexical
Servants, be obedient to those who according to the flesh are your masters, with fear and trembling, in singleness of yo…
Romans 6:17 Lexical
But thanks be to God that, whereas you were bondservants of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teac…
Ephesians 6:6 Lexical
not in the way of service only when eyes are on you, as men pleasers, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God f…
Interlinear
Word-by-word original language
v. 1
v. 2
v. 3
v. 4
v. 5
v. 6
v. 7
v. 8
v. 9
v. 10
v. 11
v. 12
v. 13
v. 14
v. 15
v. 16
v. 17
v. 18
v. 19
v. 20
v. 21
v. 22
v. 23
v. 24
v. 25
Lemma
Morphology
Semantic Range
Theological Significance
Translation Notes
Key Passages