Colossians 3
New Testament · English Majority Text Version with Greek parallel
Colossians chapter 3 is given here in full, verse by verse, in the English Majority Text Version (EMTV), with the Byzantine Majority Text set beneath each verse. The text follows the Byzantine textual tradition used in the Orthodox Church.
3 patristic excerpts are attached to this chapter, from Saint John Chrysostom.
Colossians 3
1If then you have been raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.Εἰ οὖν συνηγέρθητε τῷ Χριστῷ, τὰ ἄνω ζητεῖτε, οὗ ὁ Χριστός ἐστιν ἐν δεξιᾷ τοῦ Θεοῦ καθήμενος.
2Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.Τὰ ἄνω φρονεῖτε, μὴ τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς.
3For you died, and your life has been hidden with Christ in God.Ἀπεθάνετε γάρ, καὶ ἡ ζωὴ ὑμῶν κέκρυπται σὺν τῷ Χριστῷ ἐν τῷ Θεῷ.
4Whenever Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.Ὅταν ὁ Χριστὸς φανερωθῇ, ἡ ζωὴ ἡμῶν, τότε καὶ ὑμεῖς σὺν αὐτῷ φανερωθήσεσθε ἐν δόξῃ.
5Therefore put to death your members on the earth: sexual immorality, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry.Νεκρώσατε οὖν τὰ μέλη ὑμῶν τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, πορνείαν, ἀκαθαρσίαν, πάθος, ἐπιθυμίαν κακήν, καὶ τὴν πλεονεξίαν, ἥτις ἐστὶν εἰδωλολατρεία,
6Because of which things the wrath of God is coming on the sons of disobedience,δι᾽ ἃ ἔρχεται ἡ ὀργὴ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐπὶ τοὺς υἱοὺς τῆς ἀπειθείας·
7in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.ἐν οἷς καὶ ὑμεῖς περιεπατήσατέ ποτε, ὅτε ἐζῆτε ἐν αὐτοῖς.
8But now you yourselves are to put off all these: wrath, anger, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth.Νυνὶ δὲ ἀπόθεσθε καὶ ὑμεῖς τὰ πάντα, ὀργήν, θυμόν, κακίαν, βλασφημίαν, αἰσχρολογίαν ἐκ τοῦ στόματος ὑμῶν·
9Do not lie to one another, since you have laid aside the old man with his practices,μὴ ψεύδεσθε εἰς ἀλλήλους, ἀπεκδυσάμενοι τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον σὺν ταῖς πράξεσιν αὐτοῦ,
10and have put on the new man who is renewed in full knowledge according to the image of Him who created it,καὶ ἐνδυσάμενοι τὸν νέον, τὸν ἀνακαινούμενον εἰς ἐπίγνωσιν κατ᾽ εἰκόνα τοῦ κτίσαντος αὐτόν·
11where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.ὅπου οὐκ ἔνι Ἕλλην καὶ Ἰουδαῖος, περιτομὴ καὶ ἀκροβυστία, βάρβαρος, Σκύθης, δοῦλος, ἐλεύθερος· ἀλλὰ τὰ πάντα καὶ ἐν πᾶσι Χριστός.
12Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on hearts of compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, patience;Ἐνδύσασθε οὖν, ὡς ἐκλεκτοὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἅγιοι καὶ ἠγαπημένοι, σπλάγχνα οἰκτιρμοῦ, χρηστότητα, ταπεινοφροσύνην, πρᾳότητα, μακροθυμίαν·
13forbearing one another and forgiving yourselves, if anyone should have a complaint against any; just as Christ forgave you, so you also do.ἀνεχόμενοι ἀλλήλων, καὶ χαριζόμενοι ἑαυτοῖς, ἐάν τις πρός τινα ἔχῃ μομφήν· καθὼς καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς ἐχαρίσατο ὑμῖν, οὕτω καὶ ὑμεῖς·
14But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.ἐπὶ πᾶσι δὲ τούτοις τὴν ἀγάπην, ἥτις ἐστὶ σύνδεσμος τῆς τελειότητος.
15And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.Καὶ ἡ εἰρήνη τοῦ Θεοῦ βραβευέτω ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ὑμῶν, εἰς ἣν καὶ ἐκλήθητε ἐν ἑνὶ σώματι· καὶ εὐχάριστοι γίνεσθε.
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.Ὁ λόγος τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐνοικείτω ἐν ὑμῖν πλουσίως ἐν πάσῃ σοφίᾳ· διδάσκοντες καὶ νουθετοῦντες ἑαυτούς, ψαλμοῖς, καὶ ὕμνοις, καὶ ᾠδαῖς πνευματικαῖς, ἐν χάριτι ᾄδοντες ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ ὑμῶν τῷ Κυρίῳ.
17And whatsoever you may do in word or deed, do all things in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.Καὶ πᾶν ὅ τι ἂν ποιῆτε, ἐν λόγῳ ἢ ἐν ἔργῳ, πάντα ἐν ὀνόματι Κυρίου Ἰησοῦ, εὐχαριστοῦντες τῷ Θεῷ καὶ πατρὶ δι᾽ αὐτοῦ.
18Wives, subject yourselves to your own husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.Αἱ γυναῖκες, ὑποτάσσεσθε τοῖς ἰδίοις ἀνδράσιν, ὡς ἀνῆκεν ἐν Κυρίῳ.
19Husbands, love your wives and do not be bitter toward them.Οἱ ἄνδρες, ἀγαπᾶτε τὰς γυναῖκας, καὶ μὴ πικραίνεσθε πρὸς αὐτάς.
20Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing in the Lord.Τὰ τέκνα, ὑπακούετε τοῖς γονεῦσι κατὰ πάντα· τοῦτο γάρ ἐστιν εὐάρεστον ἐν Κυρίῳ.
21Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.Οἱ πατέρες, μὴ ἐρεθίζετε τὰ τέκνα ὑμῶν, ἵνα μὴ ἀθυμῶσιν.
22Bondservants, obey your masters according to the flesh in all things, not with eye-service, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God.Οἱ δοῦλοι, ὑπακούετε κατὰ πάντα τοῖς κατὰ σάρκα κυρίοις, μὴ ἐν ὀφθαλμοδουλείαις ὡς ἀνθρωπάρεσκοι, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν ἁπλότητι καρδίας, φοβούμενοι τὸν Θεόν·
23And whatever you may do, work it from your soul, as to the Lord and not to men,καὶ πᾶν ὅ τι ἐὰν ποιῆτε, ἐκ ψυχῆς ἐργάζεσθε, ὡς τῷ Κυρίῳ καὶ οὐκ ἀνθρώποις·
24knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance, for you serve the Lord Christ.εἰδότες ὅτι ἀπὸ Κυρίου λήψεσθε τὴν ἀνταπόδοσιν τῆς κληρονομίας· τῷ γὰρ Κυρίῳ Χριστῷ δουλεύετε.
25But he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done, and there is no partiality.Ὁ δὲ ἀδικῶν κομιεῖται ὃ ἠδίκησε· καὶ οὐκ ἔστι προσωποληψία.
The Fathers on Colossians 3
Saint John Chrysostom comments on this chapter. Each excerpt below is drawn from the full text held in the Fathers Library; follow the link on any entry to read the whole work.
On Colossians 3:5–7Saint John Chrysostom“Mortify your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry; for which things’ sake, cometh the wrath of God upon the sons of disobedience; in the which ye also walked aforetime, when ye lived in these things.”
Read Homilies on the Epistle to the Colossians →
On Colossians 3:16–17Saint John Chrysostom“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to God.[855] And whatsoever ye do in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”
Read Homilies on the Epistle to the Colossians →
On Colossians 3:18–25Open Colossians 3 in the interactive reader Switch translations, hear the chapter read aloud, tap any verse for its patristic commentary, and study the Greek word by word.Saint John Chrysostom“Wives, be in subjection to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them. Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing in[866]the Lord. Fathers, provoke not your children, that they be not discouraged. Servants, obey in all things them th...
Read Homilies on the Epistle to the Colossians →