New King James Version
Colossians 3:21
21Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.
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 Living Translation (NLT)Fathers, do not aggravate your children, or they will become discouraged.
Context of Colossians 3:21
19Husbands, love your wives and do not be bitter toward them. 20Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord. Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged. 22Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God. 23And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men,
Read all of Colossians 3Colossians 3:21 word by word
Οἱ πατέρες, μὴ ἐρεθίζετε τὰ τέκνα ὑμῶν, ἵνα μὴ ἀθυμῶσιν.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Colossians 3:21
- Psalms 103:13As a father pities his children, So the Lord pities those who fear Him.
- Proverbs 3:12For whom the Lord loves He corrects, Just as a father the son in whom he delights.
- Proverbs 4:1Hear, my children, the instruction of a father, And give attention to know understanding;
- Ephesians 6:4And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.
- 1 Thessalonians 2:11as you know how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you, as a father does his own children,
- Hebrews 12:5And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: “My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him;
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
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries