New Living Translation
Colossians 3:2
2Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.
Colossians 3:2 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
- New International Version (NIV)Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.
Context of Colossians 3:2
1Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. 3For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. 4And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.
Read all of Colossians 3Colossians 3:2 word by word
τὰ ἄνω φρονεῖτε μὴ τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Colossians 3:2
- Colossians 3:1Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand.
- 1 Chronicles 22:19Now seek the Lord your God with all your heart and soul. Build the sanctuary of the Lord God so that you can bring the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant and the holy vessels of God into the Temple built to honor the Lord’s name.”
- 1 Chronicles 29:3“And now, because of my devotion to the Temple of my God, I am giving all of my own private treasures of gold and silver to help in the construction. This is in addition to the building materials I have already collected for his holy Temple.
- Psalms 62:10Don’t make your living by extortion or put your hope in stealing. And if your wealth increases, don’t make it the center of your life.
- Psalms 91:14The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name.
- Psalms 119:36Give me an eagerness for your laws rather than a love for money!
- Proverbs 23:5In the blink of an eye wealth disappears, for it will sprout wings and fly away like an eagle.
- Ecclesiastes 7:14Enjoy prosperity while you can, but when hard times strike, realize that both come from God. Remember that nothing is certain in this life.
- Matthew 16:23Jesus turned to Peter and said, “Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.”
- Romans 8:4He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit.
- Philippians 1:23I’m torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me.
- 1 John 2:15Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you.
- Colossians 3:5So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.
- Psalms 49:11The grave is their eternal home, where they will stay forever. They may name their estates after themselves,
- Matthew 6:19“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal.
- Luke 12:15Then he said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.”
Commentaries on Colossians 3:2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2Set your affection on things above - · Love heavenly things; study them; let your hearts be entirely engrossed by them. Now, that ye are converted to God, act in reference to heavenly things as ye did formerly in reference to those of earth; and vice versa. This is a very good general rule: "Be as much in earnest for heavenly and eternal things, as ye formerly were for those that are earthly and perishing."Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2Set your affection - Margin, “or mind.” Greek” think of” - ͂ phroneiteThe thoughts should be occupied about the things where Christ now dwells, where our final home is to be, where our great interests are. Since we are raised from the death of sin, and are made to live anew, the great object of our contemplation should be the heavenly world. Not on things on the earth - Wealth, honor, pleasure. Our affections should not be fixed on houses and lands; on…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-11Paul calls on the Colossians to adopt a new mindset that leads to a different way of living.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. Translate, "Set your mind on the things above, not on the things," &c. (Col 2:20). Contrast "who mind earthly things" (Php 3:19). Whatever we make an idol of, will either be a cross to us if we be believers, or a curse to us if unbelievers.Read the comment
Topics related to Colossians 3:2
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 Living Translation — © 1996, 2004, 2015 Tyndale House Foundation
Commentaries