Colossians 3:21

Colossians 3:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.
• New International Version (NIV)Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.

Context of Colossians 3:21

19Husbands, love your wives. Do not bring trouble to them. 20Children, always obey your parents. That pleases the Lord. Fathers, do not cause your children to be upset. If you do, they might think that they never do anything that is good. 22Slaves, always obey your human masters. Do not do good work only when they can see you. Some people only work to make other people like them. Instead, serve your masters well because you want to. That will show that you respect the Lord as your master. 23Whatever things you are doing, do them well. Remember that you are serving the Lord. You are not only serving people.

Colossians 3:21 word by word

Οἱ πατέρες, μὴ ἐρεθίζετε τὰ τέκνα ὑμῶν, ἵνα μὴ ἀθυμῶσιν.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• Fathersὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Fathersπατήρpatēr · fatherG3962
• provokeἐρεθίζωerethizō · to provoke/irritateG2042
• notμήmē · notG3361
• yourσύsu · youG4771
• childrenτέκνονteknon · childG5043
• they be discouragedἀθυμέωathumeō · be discouragedG120

Cross-references for Colossians 3:21

• Psalms 103:13As a father is kind to his children, the Lord is kind to us. He is kind to people who worship him.
• Proverbs 3:12He is doing it because he loves you. When a father loves his son very much, he warns him when he does something wrong.
• Proverbs 4:1My children, listen to what your father teaches you. Listen carefully so that you understand what is right.
• Ephesians 6:4Fathers, do not do things that make your children angry. Instead, teach them carefully as they grow up. Help them to understand the message of the Lord, and help them to obey it.
• 1 Thessalonians 2:11You know that we helped you, like a father helps his own children.
• Hebrews 12:5God speaks to you as his children. Do not ever forget these words in the Bible that will make you strong: ‘My son, when the Lord shows you what is right, do not easily forget it. Do not be upset when he punishes you.

Commentaries on Colossians 3:21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21Fathers, provoke not - See the notes on Ephesians 6:4.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21Fathers, provoke not … - Notes, Ephesians 6:4. Lest they be discouraged - Lest, by your continually finding fault with them, they should lose all courage, and despair of ever pleasing you. There is much sound sense and practical wisdom in this observation of the apostle. Children should not be flattered, but they should be encouraged. They should not be so praised as to make them vain and proud, but they should be commended when they do well. The desire…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. 18-25This series of teachings is called a household code. Paul instructs wives (3:18), husbands (3:19), children (3:20), fathers (3:21), slaves (3:22–25), and masters (4:1). Similar codes are found in Greco-Roman writings and other parts of the New Testament (see Ephesians 5:22–6:9; 1 Peter 2:18–3:7).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2121. (Ep 6:4.) It is a different Greek verb, therefore translate here, "irritate not." By perpetual fault-finding "children" are "discouraged" or "disheartened." A broken-down spirit is fatal to youth [Bengel].Read the comment

Topics related to Colossians 3:21

• Children
• Parents

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