Colossians 3:23

Colossians 3:23 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
• New International Version (NIV)Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,
• English Standard Version (ESV)Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,
• New King James Version (NKJV)And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men,

Context of Colossians 3:23

21Fathers, do not provoke your children, so they will not become discouraged. 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. Whatever you do, work at it with your whole being, as 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.

Colossians 3:23 word by word

ὃ ἐὰν ποιῆτε, ἐκ ψυχῆς ἐργάζεσθε ὡς τῷ κυρίῳ καὶ οὐκ ἀνθρώποις·Read the interlinear

• Whateverὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• Whateverἐάνean · ifG1437
• you doποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
• work at itἐργάζομαιergazomai · to workG2038
• with your whole beingἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• with your whole beingψυχήpsuchē · soulG5590
• as forὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
• theὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Lordκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• notοὐou · noG3756
• for menἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444

Cross-references for Colossians 3:23

• Colossians 3:17And 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.
• 2 Chronicles 31:21He acted with all his heart in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law and the commandments, in order to seek his God. And so he prospered.
• Psalms 47:6Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises!
• Psalms 103:1Bless the LORD, O my soul; all that is within me, bless His holy name.
• Psalms 119:10With all my heart I have sought You; do not let me stray from Your commandments.
• Ecclesiastes 9:10Whatever you find to do with your hands, do it with all your might, for in Sheol, where you are going, there is no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom.
• Jeremiah 3:10Yet in spite of all this, her unfaithful sister Judah did not return to Me with all her heart, but only in pretense,” declares the LORD.
• 1 Peter 1:22Since you have purified your souls by obedience to the truth so that you have a genuine love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from a pure heart.
• Zechariah 7:5“Ask all the people of the land and the priests, ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months for these seventy years, was it really for Me that you fasted?
• Matthew 6:16When you fast, do not be somber like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward.
• Romans 14:6He who observes a special day does so to the Lord; he who eats does so to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God.
• Ephesians 5:22Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord.
• Ephesians 6:6And do this not only to please them while they are watching, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart.
• 1 Peter 2:13Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to the king as the supreme authority,

Commentaries on Colossians 3:23

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 22-25Verses 22-25 Servants, obey in all things … - ; see the notes at Ephesians 6:5-8.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 18-25Verses 18-25 The epistles most taken up in displaying the glory of the Divine grace, and magnifying the Lord Jesus, are the most particular in pressing the duties of the Christian life. We must never separate the privileges and duties of the gospel. Submission is the duty of wives. But it is submission, not to a severe lord or stern tyrant, but to her own husband, who is engaged to affectionate duty. And husbands must love their wives with tender and…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 22-24Slaves have masters on earth they must obey. Slavery was central to life and the economy in the ancient world. The New Testament does not directly oppose slavery. Yet, Christian faith creates relationships that change the nature of the social structure (see Philemon 1:15–16). It is the Lord Christ you are serving: All Christians, whether slave or free, serve a higher Master. His will is most important.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2323. And--omitted in the oldest manuscripts (compare Ep 6:7, 8). Compare the same principle in the case of all men, Hezekiah (2Ch 31:21; Ro 12:11). do, do it--two distinct Greek verbs, "Whatsoever ye do, work at it" (or "labor at" it). heartily--not from servile constraint, but with hearty good will.Read the comment

Topics related to Colossians 3:23

• Commandments
• Integrity
• Servant

In the dictionaries

• Admonish
• Bond
• Charity
• Covetousness
• Discourage
• Ephesians, Epistle to
• Fit
• Lord
• Member
• Mortify

Commentaries on Colossians 3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings