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Colossians 3:20

in Colossians 3

Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is pleasing to the Lord.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV

ASV

Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing in the Lord.

KJV

Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.

This verse in Colossians 3

Commentary

11 notes on this verse

A commentator

Cyril of Jerusalem

Commentary (church-history corpus) · Written before 386.

But while honoring our heavenly Father, let us also honor the "fathers of our flesh," since the Lord in the Law and the Prophets has clearly laid this down, saying: "Honor your mother and your father, that it may be well with you, and that you may have a long life in the land." Let those present who have mothers and fathers pay attention to this command. "Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is pleasing to the Lord."

This site's exposition

well pleasing unto the Lord

on Colossians 3:20-21

Children obey your parents in all things is grounded the same way as the wives' instruction, for this is well pleasing unto the Lord, obedience read as an act of worship rather than mere household order. Fathers, provoke not your children to anger balances the command at once, naming a real danger in the exercise of parental authority, lest they be discouraged, a Greek word for losing heart entirely rather than simple frustration. The pairing keeps either side of the relationship from becoming an excuse for the other's failure.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers1 voice

A commentator

John Chrysostom

Homily on Colossians 10 · Written in the 5th century.

proposed

Again he has put that, "in the Lord," at once laying down the laws of obedience, and shaming them, and casting them down. For this, saith he, is well-pleasing to the Lord. See how he would have us do all not from nature only, but, prior to this, from what is pleasing to God, that we may also have reward.

The Medieval Church2 voices

A commentator

Theophylact of Ohrid

Commentary on Colossians · Written before 1107.

proposed

Again he says: "to the Lord" (Κυρίω). The Apostle desires that we do this not by nature alone, but also because it is pleasing to God, so that we may receive a reward as those who act for God's sake. Addressing children of pious parents, …

A commentator

Thomas Aquinas

Commentary on Colossians · Written before 1274.

proposed

Then he deals with the second relationship, and says, children, obey your parents in everything, that is, everything that is not contrary to God: "We have had earthly fathers to discipline us and we respected them" (Heb 12:9). But if they command anything which is …

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

Children, obey your parents,.... Both father and mother; See Gill on Eph 6:1. in all things; not in things sinful, which are contrary to the law of God, and Gospel of Christ; in things repugnant to the duties of religion, the ordinances of the Gospel, and the doctrines of Christ, parents are to be neglected and disobeyed.

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

And this is well-pleasing to God, or acceptable to him; for it is the first commandment with promise ( Eph. vi. 2 ), with an explicit promise annexed to it, namely, That it shall be well with them, and they shall live long on the earth.
4 more voices on this verse

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. The apostle, having described our privileges by Christ in the former part of the epistle, and our discharge from the yoke of the ceremonial law, comes here to press upon us our duty as inferred thence.

quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-run:30w-of-66

The Nineteenth Century3 voices

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

(Eph 6:1.) unto the Lord--The oldest manuscripts read, "IN the Lord," that is, this is acceptable to God when it is done in the Lord, namely, from the principle of faith,and as disciples in union with the Lord.

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

proposed

Children, obey - in all things - That is, in the Lord - in every thing that your parents command you, which is not contrary to the will or word of God.
Children, obey your parents ... - Notes, Eph 6:1-4.

The words behind it

13 Greek words

Every 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.

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

The walk

8 stops

Each 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

    Exodus 20:12

    Honor your father and mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.

    it leads to

    • Deuteronomy 5:16

      Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you, so that your days may be long and that it may go well with you in the land that the…

      Reached by 2 separate paths from here.

    • Ephesians 6:1–3

      Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.

    • Mark 7:10

      For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’

    • Proverbs 23:22–25

      Listen to your father who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old.

    • Leviticus 19:3

      Each of you must respect his mother and father, and you must keep My Sabbaths. I am the LORD your God.

  • Through

    Proverbs 6:20

    My son, keep your father’s commandment, and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.

    it leads to

    • Ephesians 6:1

      Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.

    • Deuteronomy 27:16

      ‘Cursed is he who dishonors his father or mother.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’

  • Through

    Matthew 19:19

    honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as yourself.’”

    it leads to

    • Leviticus 19:18

      Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against any of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.

Where this verse is studied

About Colossians

The Word Made Flesh, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
The Word Made Flesh, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
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); Cyril of Jerusalem, Commentary (church-history corpus); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Colossians 10; 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.