Colossians · Chapter 3 · Love

Colossians 3:12 — Bible Verse Meaning & Context

Love is the centre of Scripture's story. Read this one slowly.

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Read in chapter context · Colossians 3

Both translations, side by side

WEB · World English Bible

"Put on therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, humility, and perseverance;"

KJV · King James Version

"Put on1746 therefore3767, as5613 the elect1588 of God2316, holy40 and2532 beloved25, bowels4698 of mercies3628, kindness5544, humbleness of mind5012, meekness4236, longsuffering3115;"

How the translations differ: The WEB is a modern public-domain revision of the 1901 ASV; the KJV dates to 1611. The KJV uses the, elect, bowels, mercies, while the WEB renders these as chosen, ones, heart, compassion. Both translate the same underlying Greek or Hebrew text — the differences are stylistic, not theological.

In context

Colossians 3:12 in Colossians 3

A Bible verse rarely stands alone. Here is Colossians 3:12 read with the verses immediately before and after — the surrounding flow of Colossians 3. Read the full chapter →

v.10 and have put on the new man, who is being renewed in knowledge after the image of his Creator,
v.11 where there can’t be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bondservant, freeman; but Christ is all, and in all.
v.12 Put on therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, humility, and perseverance;
v.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.
v.14 Above all these things, walk in love, which is the bond of perfection.

Book background

About the Book of Colossians

Testament: New Testament
Genre: Pauline epistle
Author: Paul
Date written: c. 60–62 AD
Audience: A small church Paul had never visited
Chapters: 4

Colossians is Paul's definitive exposition of the supremacy and sufficiency of Christ. Against a proto-gnostic mix of Jewish legalism, asceticism, and angel worship, Paul declares: "In him all the fullness of deity dwells bodily" (2:9). Christ is creator, sustainer, head of the church, and the Christian's complete life.

Setting: Written from Roman imprisonment to counter a syncretistic heresy.

Key themes: supremacy of Christ · fullness · new life · wisdom · identity

Read Colossians from the beginning →

Memorisation aid

How to memorise Colossians 3:12

Colossians 3:12 contains 19 words in 8 clauses. Learn one clause at a time, then chain them. The first-letter mnemonic (FLM) under each clause is a memory hook — once you can speak the FLM from memory, the full clause follows.

1

Put on therefore

POT
2

as God’s chosen ones

AGCO
3

holy and beloved

HAB
4

a heart of compassion

AHOC
5

kindness

K
6

lowliness

L
7

humility

H
8

and perseverance;

AP

Frequently asked

FAQ about Colossians 3:12

What does Colossians 3:12 say?

Colossians 3:12 reads: "Put on therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, humility, and perseverance;" — from the New Testament, Colossians (Pauline epistle). The full verse is shown above with both the World English Bible (WEB) and King James Version (KJV) translations side by side.

What book of the Bible is Colossians 3:12 in?

Colossians 3:12 is in the book of Colossians, traditionally attributed to Paul and written around c. 60–62 AD. Colossians is pauline epistle in the New Testament, originally addressed to A small church Paul had never visited. Best known for the supremacy of Christ (1:15-20).

What is Colossians 3:12 about?

Colossians 3:12 is primarily a Bible verse about Love. Within Colossians, Colossians is Paul's definitive exposition of the supremacy and sufficiency of Christ. Read the full passage above with surrounding context.

What is the difference between Colossians 3:12 in WEB and KJV?

Colossians 3:12 in the World English Bible (WEB) reads: "Put on therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, humility, and perseverance;". The King James Version (KJV) reads: "Put on1746 therefore3767, as5613 the elect1588 of God2316, holy40 and2532 beloved25, bowels4698 of mercies3628, kindness5544, humbleness of mind5012, meekness4236, longsuffering3115;". The WEB is a modern public-domain translation that updates the KJV's 1611 English while keeping a similar formal-equivalence style. Both render the same underlying Greek or Hebrew text.

How long is Colossians 3:12?

Colossians 3:12 is 19 words in the WEB translation (129 characters), broken into 8 clauses. It is short and well-suited to memorisation. Estimated reading time is about 6 seconds.

How can I memorise Colossians 3:12?

To memorise Colossians 3:12, split it into its 8 natural clauses and learn one at a time. Repeat the full verse out loud five times, then write it from memory. Saving the verse as a photo wallpaper using our verse image studio helps daily review — the visual association with a memorable background dramatically improves recall.

Why does Colossians 3:12 matter in Colossians?

How can I apply Colossians 3:12 today?

Many readers use Colossians 3:12 as a daily reminder verse — saving it as a phone wallpaper, sharing it on Pinterest, or memorising it for prayer. The verse studio on this page lets you download Colossians 3:12 on 52 different backgrounds for free. Pair the verse with the surrounding chapter context shown above to understand its full meaning before applying it.

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