Colossians 3:12 - Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

Bible Comments

Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Put on therefore - As you have put on the new man, put on all its characteristic qualities (Ellicott).

The elect of God - no "the" in Greek (cf. 1 Thessalonians 1:4). As chosen out of darkness: answering to "seeing that ye have put off the old man" (Colossians 3:9). The order is, "elect ... holy ... beloved." Election from eternity precedes sanctification in time: the sanctified, feeling God's love, imitate it (Bengel).

Bowels of mercies. So B. But, 'Aleph (') A C G f g, Vulgate, read singular, 'mercy.' Bowels express yearning compassion, which we feel to act on our inward parts (Genesis 43:30; Jeremiah 31:20; Luke 1:78, margin).

Humbleness of mind - true 'lowliness of mind:' thinking lowly, and therefore truly of ourselves; not the mock "humility" of the false teachers (note, Ephesians 4:2; Ephesians 4:32; Colossians 2:23).

Colossians 3:12

12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;