God’s Word Translation
Colossians 3:24
24You know that your real master will give you an inheritance as your reward. It is Christ, your real master, whom you are serving.
Colossians 3:24 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.
- New International Version (NIV)since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
- English Standard Version (ESV)knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.
- New King James Version (NKJV)knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.
Context of Colossians 3:24
22Slaves, always obey your earthly masters. Don’t obey them only while you’re being watched, as if you merely wanted to please people. Be sincere in your motives out of respect for your real master. 23Whatever you do, do it wholeheartedly as though you were working for your real master and not merely for humans. You know that your real master will give you an inheritance as your reward. It is Christ, your real master, whom you are serving. 25The person who does wrong will be paid back for the wrong he has done. God does not play favorites.
Read all of Colossians 3Colossians 3:24 word by word
εἰδότες ὅτι ἀπὸ κυρίου ἀπολήμψεσθε τὴν ἀνταπόδοσιν τῆς κληρονομίας· τῷ κυρίῳ Χριστῷ δουλεύετε.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Knowingεἴδωeidō · to perceive: understandG1492
- thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
- ofἀπόapo · away fromG575
- the Lordκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962
- ye shall receiveἀπολαμβάνωapolambanō · to get backG618
- the rewardἀνταπόδοσιςantapodosis · rewardG469
- of the inheritanceκληρονομίαklēronomia · inheritanceG2817
- forγάρgar · forG1063
- ye serveδουλεύωdouleuō · be a slaveG1398
- ChristΧριστόςChristos · ChristG5547
Cross-references for Colossians 3:24
- Colossians 2:18Let no one who delights in ⌞false⌟ humility and the worship of angels tell you that you don’t deserve a prize. Such a person, whose sinful mind fills him with arrogance, gives endless details of the visions he has seen.
- Genesis 15:1Later the Lord spoke his word to Abram in a vision. He said, “Abram, don’t be afraid. I am your shield. Your reward will be very great.”
- Ruth 2:12May the Lord reward you for what you have done! May you receive a rich reward from the Lord God of Israel, under whose protection you have come for shelter.”
- Proverbs 11:18A wicked person earns dishonest wages, but whoever spreads righteousness earns honest pay.
- Matthew 5:12Rejoice and be glad because you have a great reward in heaven! The prophets who lived before you were persecuted in these ways.
- Matthew 6:1“Be careful not to do your good works in public in order to attract attention. If you do, your Father in heaven will not reward you.
- Matthew 10:41The person who welcomes a prophet as such will receive a prophet’s reward. The person who welcomes a godly person as such will receive a godly person’s reward.
- Luke 6:35Rather, love your enemies, help them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then you will have a great reward. You will be the children of the Most High God. After all, he is kind to unthankful and evil people.
- Luke 14:14Then you will be blessed because they don’t have any way to pay you back. You will be paid back when those who have God’s approval come back to life.”
- Romans 2:6He will pay all people back for what they have done.
- Romans 4:4When people work, their pay is not regarded as a gift but something they have earned.
- 1 Corinthians 3:8The one who plants and the one who waters have the same goal, and each will receive a reward for his own work.
- 1 Corinthians 9:17If I spread the Good News willingly, I’ll have a reward. But if I spread the Good News unwillingly, I’m ⌞only⌟ doing what I’ve been entrusted to do.
- Ephesians 6:8You know that your heavenly master will reward all of us for whatever good we do, whether we’re slaves or free people.
- Hebrews 9:15Because Christ offered himself to God, he is able to bring a new promise from God. Through his death he paid the price to set people free from the sins they committed under the first promise. He did this so that those who are called can be guaranteed an inheritance that will last forever.
- Hebrews 10:35So don’t lose your confidence. It will bring you a great reward.
Commentaries on Colossians 3:24
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 24The reward of the inheritance - Here, ye have neither lands nor property; ye are servants or slaves; be not discouraged, ye have an inheritance in store; be faithful unto God and to your employers, and Christ will give you a heavenly inheritance.Read the comment
- 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. 2424. the reward of the inheritance--"Knowing that it is from the Lord (the ultimate source of reward), ye shall receive the compensation (or recompense, which will make ample amends for your having no earthly possession as slaves now) consisting of the inheritance" (a term excluding the notion of meriting it by works: it is all of grace, Ro 4:14; Ga 3:18). for ye serve--The oldest manuscripts omit "for," then translate as Vulgate, "Serve ye the Lord…Read the comment
Topics related to Colossians 3:24
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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