Bible Glide

Colossians 3 Summary, Context, and Full Chapter

Colossians 3 shows how new life in Christ should shape both character and daily conduct. It calls believers to turn from former sins, put on virtues that reflect Jesus, and let Christ guide speech, worship, relationships, and work.

What happens in Colossians 3?

The chapter begins by urging those raised with Christ to focus on heavenly things and to reject the patterns of the old life. Paul lists sins to put away, then describes the new self being renewed in God's image. He stresses unity in Christ and tells believers to clothe themselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forgiveness, and love. The passage also speaks about peace, thankfulness, teaching through worship, and doing everything in the name of the Lord Jesus. It closes with instructions for Christian households and for workers to serve faithfully before God.

Colossians builds on Paul's warning against teaching that distracts from Christ's sufficiency. Chapter 3 turns that doctrine into daily practice, showing how union with Christ changes thoughts, relationships, worship, and work. It leads into final instructions and greetings in chapter 4.

  • New life in ChristBelievers are called to leave the old self behind and live as people who belong to Jesus.
  • Christlike characterCompassion, humility, patience, forgiveness, and love should shape how Christians treat one another.
  • Whole-life worshipSpeech, songs, family life, and work are all to be done with gratitude and for the Lord.
  • What does it mean to set your mind on things above in daily life?
  • Which qualities in this chapter most clearly describe the new self in Christ?
  • How do the instructions for home and work apply to ordinary Christian life today?

Read the full text of Colossians 3 below, then open it in the reader to highlight, take notes, or ask follow-up Bible questions. No account is required to read.

Colossians 3

Put On the New Self

1Therefore, since you have been raised with Christ, strive for the things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.2Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.3For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.4When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.

5Put to death, therefore, the components of your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry.6Because of these, the wrath of God is coming on the sons of disobedience.7When you lived among them, you also used to walk in these ways.8But now you must put aside all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.9Do not lie to one another, since you have taken off the old self with its practices,10and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.11Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, or free, but Christ is all and is in all.

12Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with hearts of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.13Bear with one another and forgive any complaint you may have against someone else. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

14And over all these virtues put on love, which is the bond of perfect unity.15Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, for to this you were called as members of one body. And be thankful.16Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

17And whatever you do, in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

Christian Households

18Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.

19Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.

20Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is pleasing to the Lord.

21Fathers, do not provoke your children, so they will not become discouraged.

Serving with Honor

22Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything, not only to please them while they are watching, but with sincerity of heart and fear of the Lord.23Whatever you do, work at it with your whole being, for the Lord and not for men,24because you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as your reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.25Whoever does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism.

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