Colossians · Chapter 3 · Love
Colossians 3:14 — Bible Verse Meaning & Context
Love is the centre of Scripture's story. Read this one slowly.
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Both translations, side by side
WEB · World English Bible
"Above all these things, walk in love, which is the bond of perfection."
KJV · King James Version
"And1161 above1909 all3956 these things5125 put on charity26, which3748 is2076 the bond4886 of perfectness5047."
How the translations differ: The WEB is a modern public-domain revision of the 1901 ASV; the KJV dates to 1611. The KJV uses and, put, charity, perfectness, while the WEB renders these as walk, love, perfection. Both translate the same underlying Greek or Hebrew text — the differences are stylistic, not theological.
In context
Colossians 3:14 in Colossians 3
A Bible verse rarely stands alone. Here is Colossians 3:14 read with the verses immediately before and after — the surrounding flow of Colossians 3. Read the full chapter →
- 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.
- v.15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.
- v.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.
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
Memorisation aid
How to memorise Colossians 3:14
Colossians 3:14 contains 13 words in 3 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
Above all these things
AATT
- 2
walk in love
WIL
- 3
which is the bond of perfection.
WITBOP
Frequently asked
FAQ about Colossians 3:14
What does Colossians 3:14 say?
Colossians 3:14 reads: "Above all these things, walk in love, which is the bond of perfection." — 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 3:14 in?
Colossians 3:14 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 3:14 about?
Colossians 3:14 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 3:14 in WEB and KJV?
Colossians 3:14 in the World English Bible (WEB) reads: "Above all these things, walk in love, which is the bond of perfection.". The King James Version (KJV) reads: "And1161 above1909 all3956 these things5125 put on charity26, which3748 is2076 the bond4886 of perfectness5047.". 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 3:14?
Colossians 3:14 is 13 words in the WEB translation (70 characters), broken into 3 clauses. It is short and well-suited to memorisation. Estimated reading time is about 4 seconds.
How can I memorise Colossians 3:14?
To memorise Colossians 3:14, split it into its 3 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 3:14 matter in Colossians?
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. Colossians 3:14 sits within this larger story — Colossians as a whole emphasises supremacy of Christ, fullness, new life.
How can I apply Colossians 3:14 today?
Many readers use Colossians 3:14 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 3:14 on 52 different backgrounds for free. Pair the verse with the surrounding chapter context shown above to understand its full meaning before applying it.
More designs
10 verses to read next
A fresh set of verses every visit — each on its own photo background. Tap any card to open the full study page.
-
John 3:16
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.”
Read context →
-
Romans 8:28
“We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
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-
1 John 4:8
“He who doesn't love doesn't know God, for God is love.”
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-
1 Corinthians 13:4-7
“Love is patient and is kind. Love doesn't envy. Love doesn't brag, is not proud, doesn't behave itself inappropriately, doesn't seek its own way, is not pr…”
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-
Matthew 22:39
“A second likewise is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”
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John 13:34
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also love one another.”
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-
1 Corinthians 13:13
“But now faith, hope, and love remain — these three. The greatest of these is love.”
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Romans 5:8
“But God commends his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
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-
Ephesians 4:32
“And be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving each other, just as God also in Christ forgave you.”
Read context →
-
Deuteronomy 6:5
“You shall love Yahweh your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might.”
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More featured verses in Colossians 3
Read full chapter →
Colossians 3:1
“If then you were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God.”
Read context →
Colossians 3:12
“Put on therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, humility, and perseverance;”
Read context →
Colossians 3:13
“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.”
Read context →
Colossians 3:15
“And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.”
Read context →
More featured verses in Colossians
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