Colossians 3:21 BSB

Colossians 3:21

Fathers, do not provoke your children, so they will not become discouraged.

BSB

Parallel translations (2) ▾

ASV

Fathers, provoke not your children, that they be not discouraged.

KJV

Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

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Commentary

2 voices

John Gill

1697–1771

Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748)

Fathers, provoke not your children to anger,.... See Gill on Eph 6:4. lest they be discouraged; or disheartened and dispirited; their spirits be broke through grief and trouble, and they become indolent, sluggish, and unfit for business; or, despairing of having any share in the affections of their parents, disregard their commands, instructions, and corrections, and grow obdurate, stubborn, and rebellious.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

And it is by the tenderness of parents, and dutifulness of children, that God ordinarily furnishes his church with a seed to serve him, and propagates religion from age to age.

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

Albert Barnes

1798–1870

Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)

Fathers, provoke not ... - Notes, Eph 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.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

(Eph 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].

Voices on this verse

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Original language & word study

10 tagged words

Original	Transliteration	Meaning	Word study
Οἱ	Hoi	you who [are]	G3588 →
πατέρες,	pateres	Fathers,	G3962 →
μὴ	mē	not	G3361 →
ἐρεθίζετε	erethizete	do provoke	G2042 →
τὰ	ta	the	G3588 →
τέκνα	tekna	children	G5043 →
ὑμῶν,	humōn	of you,	G4771 →
ἵνα	ina	that	G2443 →
μὴ	mē	not	G3361 →
ἀθυμῶσιν.¶	athumōsin	they may become discouraged.	G120 →

The walk

The walk8

Where the connections lead

Follow this verse’s cross-references two steps out. Each card is a verse this one points to, and beneath it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several different paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it. Every stop shows its own words, and every stop is a page.

Through
Ephesians 6:4
Fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath; instead, bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
leads to
- Proverbs 22:6
  Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.
- Proverbs 29:15
  A rod of correction imparts wisdom, but a child left to himself disgraces his mother.
- Proverbs 19:18
  Discipline your son, for in that there is hope; do not be party to his death.
- Deuteronomy 6:7
  And you shall teach them diligently to your children and speak of them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
Through
Psalms 103:13
As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.
leads to
- Luke 11:11–12
  What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead?
- Hebrews 12:5–11
  And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not take lightly the discipline of the Lord, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you.
- Luke 15:21–22
  The son declared, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
Through
Proverbs 3:12
for the LORD disciplines the one He loves, as does a father the son in whom he delights.
leads to
- Deuteronomy 8:5
  So know in your heart that just as a man disciplines his son, so the LORD your God disciplines you.

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About Colossians

The Word Made Flesh — Gustave Doré (engraving, public domain)

Colossians: the study guide →Read chapter 3 →The featured study →

Continue: Colossians 3 →

01Commentary

The record, by era

Voices on this verse

02Original language & word study

03The walk

Where the connections lead

04Related verses

05Featured studies on this passage

06About Colossians

The record, by era

Where the connections lead

Commentary

Original language & word study

The walk

Related verses

Featured studies on this passage

About Colossians