God’s Word Translation
Colossians 3:12
12As holy people whom God has chosen and loved, be sympathetic, kind, humble, gentle, and patient.
Colossians 3:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
- New International Version (NIV)Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,
- New King James Version (NKJV)Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;
Context of Colossians 3:12
10and you’ve become a new person. This new person is continually renewed in knowledge to be like its Creator. 11Where this happens, there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, uncivilized person, slave, or free person. Instead, Christ is everything and in everything. As holy people whom God has chosen and loved, be sympathetic, kind, humble, gentle, and patient. 13Put up with each other, and forgive each other if anyone has a complaint. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14Above all, be loving. This ties everything together perfectly.
Read all of Colossians 3Colossians 3:12 word by word
Ἐνδύσασθε οὖν, ὡς ἐκλεκτοὶ τοῦ θεοῦ ἅγιοι καὶ ἠγαπημένοι, σπλάγχνα οἰκτιρμοῦ, χρηστότητα, ταπεινοφροσύνην, πραΰτητα, μακροθυμίαν·Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Put onἐνδύωenduō · to put onG1746
- thereforeοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
- asὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
- the electἐκλεκτόςeklektos · selectG1588
- of Godὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- holyἅγιοςhagios · holyG40
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- belovedἀγαπάωagapaō · to loveG25
- bowelsσπλάγχνονsplagchnon · affection/entrailsG4698
- of merciesοἰκτιρμόςoiktirmos · compassionG3628
- kindnessχρηστότηςchrēstotēs · kindnessG5544
- humbleness of mindταπεινοφροσύνηtapeinophrosunē · humilityG5012
- meeknessπραΰτηςprautēs · gentlenessG4240
- longsufferingμακροθυμίαmakrothumia · patienceG3115
Cross-references for Colossians 3:12
- Colossians 3:10and you’ve become a new person. This new person is continually renewed in knowledge to be like its Creator.
- Ephesians 4:24You were also taught to become a new person created to be like God, with a life that truly has God’s approval and is holy.
- Isaiah 42:1Here is my servant, whom I support. Here is my chosen one, with whom I am pleased. I have put my Spirit on him. He will bring justice to the nations.
- Isaiah 45:4For the sake of my servant Jacob, Israel, my chosen one, I have called you by name. I have given you a title of honor, although you don’t know me.
- Isaiah 65:9I will bring ⌞with me⌟ Jacob’s descendant, one who will inherit my mountains from Judah. My chosen ones will inherit them. My servants will live there.
- Matthew 24:22If God does not reduce the number of those days, no one will be saved. But those days will be reduced because of those whom God has chosen.
- Mark 13:20If the Lord does not reduce that time, no one will be saved. But those days will be reduced because of those whom God has chosen.
- Luke 18:7Won’t God give his chosen people justice when they cry out to him for help day and night? Is he slow to help them?
- Romans 8:29This is true because he already knew his people and had already appointed them to have the same form as the image of his Son. Therefore, his Son is the firstborn among many children.
- Romans 9:11Before the children had been born or had done anything good or bad, Rebekah was told that the older child would serve the younger one. This was said to Rebekah so that God’s plan would remain a matter of his choice,
- Romans 11:5So, as there were then, there are now a few left that God has chosen by his kindness.
- 2 Timothy 2:10For that reason, I endure everything for the sake of those who have been chosen so that they, too, may receive salvation from Christ Jesus with glory that lasts forever.
- 1 Peter 1:2God the Father knew you long ago and chose you to live holy lives with the Spirit’s help so that you are obedient to Jesus Christ and are sprinkled with his blood. May good will and peace fill your lives!
- 2 Peter 1:10Therefore, brothers and sisters, use more effort to make God’s calling and choosing of you secure. If you keep doing this, you will never fall away.
- 2 John 1:13The children of your chosen sister greet you.
- Revelation 17:14They will go to war against the lamb. The lamb will conquer them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings. Those who are called, chosen, and faithful are with him.”
Commentaries on Colossians 3:12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12Put on - as the elect of God - As the principal design of the apostle was to show that God had chosen the Gentiles, and called them to the same privileges as the Jews, and intended to make them as truly his people as the Jews ever were, he calls them the elect or chosen of God; and as the Jews, who were formerly the elect, were still beloved, and called to be holy, so he calls the Colossians beloved, and shows them that they are called with the same holy…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12Put on, therefore, as the elect of God - The fact that you thus belong to one and the same church; that you have been redeemed by the sameblood, and chosen by the same grace, and that you are all brethren, should lead you to manifest a spirit of kindness, gentleness, and love. Bowels of mercies - Notes, Philemon 2:1. Kindness - See the notes at Ephesians 4:32. The language here is a little different from what it is there, but the sentiment is the same.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-17Verses 12-17 We must not only do no hurt to any, but do what good we can to all. Those who are the elect of God, holy and beloved, ought to be lowly and compassionate towards all. While in this world, where there is so much corruption in our hearts, quarrels will sometimes arise. But it is our duty to forgive one another, imitating the forgiveness through which we are saved. Let the peace of God rule in your hearts; it is of his working in all who are…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12-17Paul explains the new life of those who have been raised with Christ (3:1). Their good qualities and actions contribute to the peace and strength of the Christian community.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. the elect of God--There is no "the" in the Greek, "God's elect" (compare Ro 8:3; 1Th 1:4). The order of the words "elect, holy, beloved," answers to the order of the things. Election from eternity precedes sanctification in time; the sanctified, feeling God's love, imitate it [Bengel]. bowels of mercies--Some of the oldest manuscripts read singular, "mercy." Bowels express the yearning compassion, which has its seat in the heart, and which we feel to…Read the comment
Topics related to Colossians 3:12
In the dictionaries
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
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