Colossians 3:12-17 tells Christians to dress their inner lives in the character of Christ: compassion, kindness, humility, patience, forgiveness, and above all love. It also shows how that new life holds together, through God’s peace, gratitude, the word of Christ, and worship offered in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Paul wrote this letter to the church in Colossae, a city in the Lycus Valley of what is now western Turkey. He wanted believers there to understand that their new identity in Christ should show up in ordinary relationships, not only in religious activity. This passage sits in the middle of a practical section of the letter that turns from theology to daily conduct.
12 Put on therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, humility, and perseverance; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, if any man has a complaint against any; even as Christ forgave you, so you also do. 14 Above all these things, walk in love, which is the bond of perfection. 15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your heart to the Lord. 17 Whatever you do, in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father, through him.
Colossians 3:12-17 (WEB)
Colossians 3:12-17 Summary
Paul begins with an image of clothing. Having put off the old way of life, believers are to “put on” a set of virtues, much as a person gets dressed each morning. The list moves from attitudes of the heart (compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience) to the practice of bearing with others and forgiving them, as Christ forgave us. Love is named as the outer garment that binds all the others together.
From there Paul describes a community shaped by peace, thankfulness, and the word of Christ. Believers are to let God’s peace settle the disputes that arise among them, to remember that they belong to one body, and to teach and encourage one another through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. The passage closes with a principle that reaches into every corner of life: whatever you say or do should be done in the name of the Lord Jesus, with thanks offered to God the Father.
Context of Colossians 3:12-17
Colossians was written by Paul, who is named in the letter’s opening, and it is addressed to a church he had not personally founded but cared about deeply. Some of the Colossian believers were being pulled toward teachings that elevated angels, rituals, and special spiritual experiences above Christ. Paul’s answer is that Christ is supreme over all things, and that the life of the church must flow from him.
The verses just before this passage describe the old self and the new self, and state that in Christ the old divisions of Greek and Jew, slave and free, no longer define who belongs to God. The verses after it apply the same logic to households: wives and husbands, children and parents. Our passage stands at the center of that movement, describing the shared character that makes such relationships possible.
Colossians 3:12-17 Verse by Verse
Ephesians 4:32
And be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving each other, just as God also in Christ forgave you.
(WEB)
Paul’s words here echo the call to kindness and forgiveness in our passage, grounding the instruction in God’s forgiveness of us in Christ. It shows that forgiving others is a response to grace received, not a demand made in isolation.
1 Peter 4:8
And above all things be earnest in your love among yourselves, for love covers a multitude of sins.
(WEB)
Peter describes love as something that covers a multitude of sins, expressing the same priority Paul gives to love as the binding virtue. It helps explain why love is able to carry the weight of patience and forgiveness in community life.
A Prayer Based on Colossians 3:12-17
Lord, you have called me your chosen and beloved, and I thank you for that. Clothe me with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, so that these qualities show in my home, my work, and my church. When someone wrongs me, help me to forgive as you have forgiven me, and let love be the thing that holds my life together.
Let your peace rule in my heart, and make me thankful even on hard days. Let your word dwell in me richly, and let my words and actions be offered in the name of the Lord Jesus. Amen.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean to “put on” these virtues in Colossians 3:12?
The image is of getting dressed, as if compassion, kindness, and humility were garments chosen each day. Paul is saying that these qualities should be deliberately worn in relationships, following the new identity believers already have in Christ.
Why does Paul say love is the bond of perfection?
Love is described as the outer layer that holds the other virtues together and brings them to completion. Without love, compassion and kindness can become unsteady, but love gives them unity and purpose.
How can the peace of Christ rule in our hearts?
Paul pictures peace acting like an umpire that settles disputes within the heart and within the church. Letting that peace rule means yielding to God’s decisions about conflict, trusting him over our own anger or pride.
