Colossians 3:13
in Colossians 3Bear with one another and forgive any complaint you may have against someone else. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
forbearing one another, and forgiving each other, if any man have a complaint against any; even as the Lord forgave you, so also do ye:
KJV
Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
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This verse in Colossians 3
Commentary
13 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Forbearing one another - Notes, Eph 4:2. And forgiving one another - Notes, Mat 6:12, Mat 6:14. If any man have a quarrel against any - Margin, “or complaint.” The word used here - μομφή momphē - occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. It means, “fault found, blame, censure;” and here denotes occasion of complaint.
This site's exposition
Therefore, as the elect of God
on Colossians 3:12-13
The call to clothe yourselves reverses the taking off of verse 9, and the list runs from the inward hearts of compassion to kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, virtues that bear with hard people. The measure of forgiving is exact, Forgive as the Lord forgave you. The command rests on an identity already given, the elect of God, holy and beloved.
This site's exposition
Forgive as the Lord forgave you
Jamieson, Fausset and Brown separate the two commands: bear with one another over present offences, and forgive past ones. The word for complaint is momphe, found only here in the New Testament. The oldest copies read the Lord, with the Berean text.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
"Forbearing one another, and forgiving each other, if any man have a complaint against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye." Again, he speaks after the class, and he always does it; for from kindness comes humbleness of mind, and from this, longsuffering. "Forbearing," he saith, "one another," that is, passing things over And see, how he has shown it to be nothing, by calling it a "complaint," and saying, "even as Christ forgave you." Great is the example! and thus he always does; he exhorts them after Christ. "Complaint," he calls it. In these words indeed he showed it to be a petty matter; but when he has set before us the example, he has persuaded us that even if we had serious charges to bring, we ought to forgive. For the expression, "Even as Christ," signifies this, and not this only, but also with all the heart; and not this alone, but that they ought even to love. For Christ being brought into the midst, bringeth in all these things, both that even if the matters be great, and even if we have not been the first to injure, even if we be of great, they of small account, even if they are sure to insult us afterwards, we ought to lay down our lives for them, (for the words, "even as," demand this;) and that not even at death only ought one to stop, but if possible, to go on even after death.
"Forbearing," he saith, "one another"; he showeth what is just. Thou forbearest him, and he thee; and so he says in the Epistle to the Galatians, "Bear ye one another's burdens."
The Medieval Church2 voices
Condescending (ἀνεχόμενοι) – is the same as bearing (βασάζοντες) one another – you him, and he you. Do not judge strictly the faults and failings of one another, but, considering them trifles, pass them over without attention. And see how he himself showed their insignificance …
In the bad times of adversity three kinds of armor are necessary. First, patience, which keeps the soul from giving up the love of God and what is right because of difficulties: "You will save your souls by patience" (Lk 21:19). Sometimes it happens that …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And the reason is: Even as Christ forgave you, so also do you. The consideration that we are forgiven by Christ so many offences is a good reason why we should forgive others. It is an argument of the divinity of Christ that he had power on earth to forgive sins; and it is a branch of his example which we are obliged to follow, if we ourselves would be forgiven.
5 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Forbearing one another,....
The Nineteenth Century4 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Forbearing--as to present offenses. forgiving--as to past offenses. quarrel--rather as Greek, "cause of blame," "cause of complaint." Christ--who had so infinitely greater cause of complaint against us. The oldest manuscripts and Vulgate read "the Lord." English Version is supported by one very old manuscript and old versions.
To whom is this exhortation addressed? The Apostle told us in the 12th verse—"Elect of God, holy and beloved." Here are three particulars. They are, first of all, "elect of God," that is to say, chosen according to His eternal purpose. They are made choice ones by being thus chosen. Next, they are sanctified by the Spirit of God and are, therefore, called "holy"—this holiness appertaining to their persons and their pursuits, their calling and their conversation.
To whom is this exhortation addressed? The Apostle told us in the 12th verse—"Elect of God, holy and beloved." Here are three particulars. They are, first of all, "elect of God," that is to say, chosen according to His eternal purpose. They are made choice ones by being thus chosen. Next, they are sanctified by the Spirit of God and are, therefore, called "holy"—this holiness appertaining to their persons and their pursuits, their calling and their conversation. When the Spirit of God has fully done His work, He sheds abroad in their hearts the love of God, so that experimentally they feel themselves to be "beloved." To abide in the love of God is the fruit of election and the result of holiness. If any of you can, with humble confidence, claim these three titles, "elect of God, holy and beloved," you are among the most favored of all mankind! The Father has made of you a special choice! In you His Holy Spirit has worked a special work and you possess, within your souls, the special joy of living in the love of God! "Elect of God, holy and beloved"—it is as you enjoy these three things that you will find it easy to carry out the precept which is now set before you, "Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do you." Note in our text, before we proceed to the full discussion of it, what an honor this Scripture puts upon our Lord Jesus Christ.
Forbearing one another - Avoid all occasions of irritating or provoking each other. Forgiving one another - If ye receive offense, be instantly ready to forgive on the first acknowledgment of the fault. Even as Christ forgave you - Who required no satisfaction, and sought for nothing in you but the broken, contrite heart, and freely forgave you as soon as you returned to Him. No man should for a moment harbour ill will in his heart to any; but the offended party is not called actually to forgive, till the offender, with sorrow, acknowledges his fault. He should be ready to forgive, and while he is so, he can neither feel hatred nor malice towards the offender; but, as Christ does not forgive us till with penitent hearts we return unto him, acknowledging our offenses, so those who have trespassed against their neighbor are not to expect any act of forgiveness from the person they have injured, till they acknowledge the offense. Forgive, says the apostle, καθως και ὁ Χριστος even as Christ forgave you - show the same disposition and the same readiness to forgive your offending brethren, as Christ showed towards you.
The words behind it
20 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἀνεχόμενοι | anechomenoi | bearing with | G430 → | |
| ἀλλήλων | allelon | each other | G240 → | |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| χαριζόμενοι | charizomenoi | forgiving | G5483 → | 23 times |
| ἑαυτοῖς | he'autois | each other | G1438 → | |
| ἐάν | ean | If | G1437 → | 352 times |
| τις | tis | anyone | G5100 → | 528 times |
| πρός | pros | against | G4314 → | 700 times |
| τινα | tina | another | G5100 → | 528 times |
| ἔχῃ | eche | shall have | G2192 → | 707 times |
| μομφήν· | momphen | a complaint; | G3437 → | |
| καθὼς | kathos | even as | G2531 → | 182 times |
| καὶ | kai | also | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ὁ | ho | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| κύριος | kurios | Lord | G2962 → | 711 times |
| ἐχαρίσατο | echarisato | has forgiven | G5483 → | 23 times |
| ὑμῖν, | humin | you, | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| οὕτως | houtos | so | G3779 → | |
| καὶ | kai | also | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ὑμεῖς· | humeis | you; | G4771 → | 2973 times |
ἀνεχόμενοιbearing with
anechomenoiG430 →
ἀλλήλωνeach other
allelonG240 →
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
χαριζόμενοιforgiving
charizomenoiG5483 →23 times
ἑαυτοῖςeach other
he'autoisG1438 →
ἐάνIf
eanG1437 →352 times
τιςanyone
tisG5100 →528 times
πρόςagainst
prosG4314 →700 times
τιναanother
tinaG5100 →528 times
ἔχῃshall have
echeG2192 →707 times
μομφήν·a complaint;
momphenG3437 →
καθὼςeven as
kathosG2531 →182 times
καὶalso
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ὁthe
hoG3588 →19766 times
κύριοςLord
kuriosG2962 →711 times
ἐχαρίσατοhas forgiven
echarisatoG5483 →23 times
ὑμῖν,you,
huminG4771 →2973 times
οὕτωςso
houtosG3779 →
καὶalso
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ὑμεῖς·you;
humeisG4771 →2973 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Ephesians 4:32Be kind and tenderhearted to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you.
it leads to
- Colossians 3:12–13
Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with hearts of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Matthew 6:14–15
For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Mark 11:25
And when you stand to pray, if you hold anything against another, forgive it, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your trespasses as well.”
- 1 Peter 3:8–9
Finally, all of you, be like-minded and sympathetic, love as brothers, be tenderhearted and humble.
- 2 Corinthians 2:10
If you forgive anyone, I also forgive him. And if I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven it in the presence of Christ for your sake,
- Colossians 3:12–13
Through
Ephesians 4:2with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,
it leads to
- 1 Corinthians 13:7
It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
- 1 Corinthians 13:4–5
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
- 1 Corinthians 13:7
Through
James 2:13For judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
it leads to
- Luke 6:37
Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Luke 6:37
Where this verse is studied
By subject
Forgiveness35 verses
On this page
Studies5
On this verse
About Colossians
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Charles Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 1841: “Divine Forgiveness Admired and Imitated” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Colossians 8; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Colossians and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Colossians.