Instructions for Christian Households
Colossians 3:18-4:1
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Col.3.18 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Αι: ART,nom,pl,f
- γυναικες: NOUN,nom,pl,f
- υποτασσεσθε: VERB,pres,mid/pass,imp,2,pl
- τοις: ART,dat,pl,n
- ανδρασιν: NOUN,dat,pl,m
- ως: ADV
- ανηκεν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- εν: PREP
- κυριω: NOUN,dat,sg,m
Parallels
- Ephesians 5:22 (verbal): Directly parallel wording: 'Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord'—same command to wives and the same grounding 'in the Lord'.
- Ephesians 5:24 (verbal): Repeats the submission motif and theological rationale: 'as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives to their husbands in everything.'
- 1 Peter 3:1 (thematic): Similar exhortation for wives to be subject to their husbands; emphasizes practical goal (winning an unbelieving husband) and conduct as witness.
- Titus 2:4-5 (thematic): Instruction for older women to teach younger women to love their husbands and be obedient to them—complements Colossians' household ethics by prescribing female comportment in marriage.
- 1 Peter 3:5-6 (allusion): Invokes Sarah as an example of respectful submission to her husband (calling him 'lord'), providing an exemplary model that echoes the submission ideal in Colossians 3:18.
Alternative generated candidates
- Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
- Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
Col.3.19 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- οι: ART,nom,pl,m
- ανδρες: NOUN,nom,pl,m
- αγαπατε: VERB,pres,act,imp,2,pl
- τας: ART,acc,pl,f
- γυναικας: NOUN,acc,pl,f
- και: CONJ
- μη: PART
- πικραινεσθε: VERB,pres,mid/pass,imp,2,pl
- προς: PREP
- αυτας: PRON,acc,pl,f
Parallels
- Ephesians 5:25 (verbal): Direct command to husbands to 'love your wives' (echoes same verb and injunction), expanded with the model of Christ's love for the church.
- Ephesians 5:28 (thematic): Affirms the duty of husbands to love their wives as they love their own bodies, reinforcing the ethic of care and self-giving found in Colossians 3:19.
- 1 Peter 3:7 (thematic): Instructs husbands to live with understanding and honor toward their wives (so they are not hindered), paralleling Colossians' concern that husbands not be harsh or bitter.
- Colossians 3:18 (structural): Immediate literary parallel within the household code: the paired commands to wives (3:18) and husbands (3:19) form a complementary unit governing marital relations.
Alternative generated candidates
- Husbands, love your wives and do not embitter them.
- Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.
Col.3.20 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Τα: ART,nom,pl,n
- τεκνα: NOUN,acc,pl,neut
- υπακουετε: VERB,pres,act,imp,2,pl
- τοις: ART,dat,pl,n
- γονευσιν: NOUN,dat,pl,m
- κατα: PREP
- παντα: ADJ,nom,pl,n
- τουτο: PRON,nom,sg,n
- γαρ: PART
- ευαρεστον: ADJ,nom,sg,n
- εστιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- εν: PREP
- κυριω: NOUN,dat,sg,m
Parallels
- Ephesians 6:1-3 (verbal): Nearly identical command to children to obey parents, including the citation of the Old Testament promise in vv.2–3; close linguistic and ethical parallel to Colossians 3:20.
- Exodus 20:12 (allusion): The Decalogue's command to honour (and by implication obey) father and mother provides the Old Testament legal-theological basis for the apostolic injunction that pleasing God includes obedient children.
- Proverbs 1:8 (thematic): Parental instruction motif—'Hear, my son, your father's instruction'—echoes the wisdom-tradition emphasis on children's obedience to parental guidance underlying Paul's exhortation.
- Luke 2:51 (thematic): Narrative example of Jesus' own obedience and submission to Mary and Joseph after the Temple episode, illustrating the ethical norm of children's obedience commended in Colossians 3:20.
Alternative generated candidates
- Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.
- Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.
Col.3.21 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- οι: ART,nom,pl,m
- πατερες: NOUN,nom,pl,m
- μη: PART
- ερεθιζετε: VERB,pres,act,imp,2,pl
- τα: ART,acc,pl,n
- τεκνα: NOUN,acc,pl,neut
- υμων: PRON,gen,pl,2
- ινα: CONJ
- μη: PART
- αθυμωσιν: VERB,pres,act,subj,3,pl
Parallels
- Eph.6.4 (verbal): Almost identical injunction to fathers: 'Do not provoke your children to anger,' with added positive clause about raising them in the Lord's discipline and instruction.
- Col.3.20 (structural): Immediate contextual pair: verse 20 addresses children (obey your parents), while v.21 directs fathers on how not to respond—together forming household instructions.
- Deut.6.6-7 (thematic): Command for parents to teach and train their children continually—relates to the Old Testament background for responsible parental conduct and instruction.
- Prov.23.13-14 (thematic): Instruction about parental discipline ('do not withhold discipline from the child') connecting to the biblical concern for proper, non-provocative child-rearing.
Alternative generated candidates
- Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.
- Fathers, do not provoke your children, so that they will not become discouraged.
Col.3.22 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- οι: ART,nom,pl,m
- δουλοι: NOUN,nom,pl,m
- υπακουετε: VERB,pres,act,imp,2,pl
- κατα: PREP
- παντα: ADJ,nom,pl,n
- τοις: ART,dat,pl,n
- κατα: PREP
- σαρκα: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- κυριοις: NOUN,dat,pl,m
- μη: PART
- εν: PREP
- οφθαλμοδουλιαις: NOUN,dat,pl,f
- ως: ADV
- ανθρωπαρεσκοι: ADJ,nom,pl,m
- αλλ᾽εν: CONJ
- απλοτητι: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- καρδιας: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- φοβουμενοι: VERB,pres,mid,ptc,nom,pl,m
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- κυριον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
Parallels
- Ephesians 6:5 (verbal): Same addressee (δοῦλοι/slaves) and verb of obedience; parallels wording and ethical instruction for slaves to obey their earthly masters (verbal and conceptual overlap).
- Colossians 3:23 (structural): Immediate contextual parallel—continues the same ethical exhortation by grounding all work in wholehearted service 'as to the Lord,' linking 'simplicity of heart' and 'fearing the Lord.'
- Titus 2:9–10 (thematic): Gives similar instructions to slaves: be obedient, not argumentative, show good conduct so that the teaching of God may not be blasphemed—echoes the moral aims behind Colossians' admonition.
- 1 Peter 2:18–20 (thematic): Addresses servants to submit to masters with fear and reverence, even under unjust treatment, emphasizing conscience before God—resonates with Colossians' call to serve not by eye-service but fearing the Lord.
Alternative generated candidates
- Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.
- Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters; do not serve merely when they are being watched, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.
Col.3.23 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- εαν: CONJ
- ποιητε: VERB,pres,act,subj,2,pl
- εκ: PREP
- ψυχης: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- εργαζεσθε: VERB,pres,mid/pass,imp,2,pl
- ως: ADV
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- κυριω: NOUN,dat,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- ουκ: PART,neg
- ανθρωποις: NOUN,dat,pl,m
Parallels
- Ephesians 6:7 (verbal): Uses essentially the same wording and idea — serve/work ‘as to the Lord and not to men’ (context: servants/workers), linking service with orientation to Christ rather than human masters.
- Colossians 3:17 (verbal): Similar formula framing all actions as done for the Lord: ‘whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus,’ closely paralleling Col 3:23’s call to work as for the Lord.
- 1 Corinthians 10:31 (thematic): ‘So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God’—expresses the same principle of orienting every activity toward God rather than human approval.
- Galatians 1:10 (thematic): ‘If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ’ contrasts seeking human approval with serving Christ, echoing Col 3:23’s ethic of doing work for the Lord not for people.
- Colossians 3:22 (structural): Immediate context in the household/servant code: servants are told to obey ‘with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord,’ which develops the same instruction to perform duties as service to Christ rather than merely to human masters.
Alternative generated candidates
- Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,
- Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for people,
Col.3.24 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ειδοτες: PTCP,perf,act,nom,pl,m
- οτι: CONJ
- απο: PREP
- κυριου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- απολημψεσθε: VERB,fut,mid,ind,2,pl
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- ανταποδοσιν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- κληρονομιας·τω: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- κυριω: NOUN,dat,sg,m
- Χριστω: NOUN,dat,sg,m
- δουλευετε·: VERB,pres,act,ind,2,pl
Parallels
- Eph.6.8 (verbal): Shares near-identical wording and idea — ‘knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive back from the Lord’ (the assurance of receiving recompense from the Lord).
- Col.3.23 (structural): Immediate context: commands servants to work ‘heartily, as for the Lord’ leading directly to the reason in 3:24 that their true master is the Lord and they will receive their reward from him.
- Rom.8.17 (thematic): Develops the theme of believers as heirs — the concept of inheritance and future reward for those who belong to Christ parallels the ‘reward of the inheritance’ language.
- 1 Cor.3.8 (thematic): Speaks of each worker receiving wages or recompense according to his labor, echoing the idea of divine reward for service that appears in Colossians 3:24.
Alternative generated candidates
- knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.
- knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You serve the Lord Christ.
Col.3.25 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- γαρ: PART
- αδικων: VERB,pres,act,ptc,nom,sg,m
- κομισεται: VERB,fut,pass,ind,3,sg
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- ηδικησεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- και: CONJ
- ουκ: PART,neg
- εστιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- προσωπολημψια: NOUN,nom,sg,f
Parallels
- Romans 2:11 (verbal): Uses the same formula about God's impartiality — “there is no respect of persons” — echoing Colossians' declaration of no favoritism in judgment.
- Acts 10:34 (verbal): Peter's proclamation “God is no respecter of persons” parallels the Colossians assertion of impartial divine recompense.
- James 2:1 (verbal): James warns against showing partiality (respect of persons), reflecting the same concern about favoritism mentioned in Colossians 3:25.
- 1 Peter 1:17 (verbal): Combines the themes of impartial judgment and recompense: God judges without respect of persons and judges each according to his works.
- Galatians 6:7 (thematic): Expresses the principle of moral recompense — “what a man sows, that he will also reap” — paralleling Colossians' statement that wrongdoers will receive for their wrongdoing.
Alternative generated candidates
- For the one who does wrong will be repaid for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.
- For the wrongdoer will receive back what he has done, and there is no partiality.
Col.4.1 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- οι: ART,nom,pl,m
- κυριοι: NOUN,nom,pl,m
- το: ART,acc,sg,n
- δικαιον: ADJ,acc,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- ισοτητα: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- τοις: ART,dat,pl,n
- δουλοις: NOUN,dat,pl,m
- παρεχεσθε: VERB,pres,mid/pass,imp,2,pl
- ειδοτες: PTCP,perf,act,nom,pl,m
- οτι: CONJ
- και: CONJ
- υμεις: PRON,nom,pl,2
- εχετε: VERB,pres,act,ind,2,pl
- κυριον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- εν: PREP
- ουρανω: NOUN,dat,sg,m
Parallels
- Eph.6:9 (verbal): Same injunction to 'masters' with virtually identical rationale—'knowing that your Master also is in heaven'—linking earthly authority to accountability before God.
- Col.3:23-24 (verbal): Close intra‑letter parallel: workers/servants are told to serve wholeheartedly as for the Lord, with the promise of reward from the Lord (the motif of having a Master/Reward in heaven).
- 1 Pet.2:18-20 (thematic): Addresses the servant‑master relationship from the ethics of suffering and submission, urging proper behavior by servants and implying masters' moral responsibility before God.
- Philem.1:15-16 (thematic): Paul's appeal to Philemon to receive Onesimus 'no longer as a slave but more than a slave, a brother' emphasizes the Christian redefinition of slave/master relations grounded in common standing before God.
Alternative generated candidates
- Masters, grant to your slaves what is just and fair, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.
- Masters, grant to your bondservants what is just and fair; for you also have a Master in heaven.
Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.
Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.
Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.
Bondservants, obey in everything your earthly masters, not with eye-service as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as for the Lord and not for men.
For you know that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward; you are serving the Lord Christ.
For the one who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done; there is no partiality.
Masters, give your bondservants what is just and fair, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.