Colossians 3:19
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Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
(Eph 5:22-33.) be not bitter--ill-tempered and provoking. Many who are polite abroad, are rude and bitter at home because they are not afraid to be so there.
Open source ↗I. The apostle exhorts us to set our hearts upon heaven and take them off from this world (Col 3:1-4). II. He exhorts to the mortification of sin, in the various instances of it (Col 3:5-11). III. He earnestly presses to mutual love and compassion (Col 3:12-17). And concludes with exhortations to relative duties, of wives and husbands, parents and children, masters and servants (Col 3:18-25).
Open source ↗3:19 The exhortation to wives to submit to their husbands is immediately followed by a command to the husbands to love their wives (see also Eph 5:25-30; 1 Pet 3:7).
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
Other passages the community most often connects to this one. Tap to read.
Husbands, in the same way, treat your wives with consideration as a delicate vessel, and with honor as fellow heirs of the gracious gift of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.
Fathers, do not provoke your children, so they will not become discouraged.
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her
Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, outcry and slander, along with every form of malice.
Nevertheless, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
Enjoy life with your beloved wife all the days of the fleeting life that God has given you under the sun—all your fleeting days. For this is your portion in life and in your labor under the sun.
But if you harbor bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast in it or deny the truth.
And Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah and took Rebekah as his wife. And Isaac loved her and was comforted after his mother’s death.
“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be My disciple.
“Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”