Limitless Word
a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, and free, but Christ is all, and in all.
Colossians 3:11 · New American Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB where there can’t be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bondservant, freeman; but Christ is all, and in all.
  • KJV Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.
  • BSB Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, or free, but Christ is all and is in all.
  • NKJV where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.
  • NLT In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

In this new humanity ethnic and social distinctions lose their dividing power, for Christ is all and in all. Christ unites a diverse people into one.

Overview

In the renewed community 'there can't be Greek and Jew... barbarian, Scythian, bondservant, freeman.' The old barriers of race, religion, culture, and class no longer determine one's standing before God. 'Christ is all, and in all'—He is the common center and life of every believer, the basis of true unity.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 40

  • Gal 3:28–29There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
  • 1 Cor 12:13For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free; and were all given to drink into one Spirit.
  • Rom 10:12For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, and is rich to all who call on him.
  • Eph 3:6that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of his promise in Christ Jesus through the Good News,
  • Eph 1:23which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
  • Rom 9:24–26us, whom he also called, not from the Jews only, but also from the Gentiles?
  • Rom 3:29Or is God the God of Jews only? Isn’t he the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also,
  • Gal 5:6For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision amounts to anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith working through love.
  • Matt 12:18–21“Behold, my servant whom I have chosen; my beloved in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my Spirit on him. He will proclaim justice to the nations.
  • John 17:23I in them, and you in me, that they may be perfected into one; that the world may know that you sent me, and loved them, even as you loved me.
  • Isa 52:10Yahweh has made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
  • Acts 15:17That the rest of men may seek after the Lord; all the Gentiles who are called by my name, says the Lord, who does all these things.
  • Gal 2:20I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I that live, but Christ lives in me. That life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me.
  • 1 Cor 7:19Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.
  • Mic 4:2Many nations will go and say, “Come, and let us go up to the mountain of Yahweh, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths.” For the law will go out of Zion, and Yahweh’s word from Jerusalem;
  • Amos 9:12that they may possess the remnant of Edom, and all the nations who are called by my name,” says Yahweh who does this.
  • Isa 49:6Indeed, he says, “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel? I will also give you as a light to the nations, that you may be my salvation to the end of the earth.”
  • Zech 8:20–23Yahweh of Armies says: “Many peoples, and the inhabitants of many cities will yet come;
  • Zech 2:11Many nations shall join themselves to Yahweh in that day, and shall be my people; and I will dwell among you, and you shall know that Yahweh of Armies has sent me to you.
  • Rom 15:9–13and that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, “Therefore will I give praise to you among the Gentiles, and sing to your name.”
  • Acts 13:46–48Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, and said, “It was necessary that God’s word should be spoken to you first. Since indeed you thrust it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles.
  • Mal 1:11For from the rising of the sun even to the going down of the same, my name is great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering: for my name is great among the nations,” says Yahweh of Armies.
  • Isa 66:18–22“For I know their works and their thoughts. The time comes that I will gather all nations and languages, and they will come, and will see my glory.
  • Isa 19:23–25In that day there will be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria; and the Egyptians will worship with the Assyrians.
  • Rom 9:30–31What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, who didn’t follow after righteousness, attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith;
  • Acts 26:17–18delivering you from the people, and from the Gentiles, to whom I send you,
  • 1 Cor 3:21–23Therefore let no one boast in men. For all things are yours,
  • Col 2:10and in him you are made full, who is the head of all principality and power;
  • Rom 1:14I am debtor both to Greeks and to foreigners, both to the wise and to the foolish.
  • John 15:5I am the vine. You are the branches. He who remains in me, and I in him, the same bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
  • Acts 28:4When the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he has escaped from the sea, yet Justice has not allowed to live.”
  • Rom 4:10–11How then was it counted? When he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.
  • John 6:56–57He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me, and I in him.
  • Rom 8:10–11If Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the spirit is alive because of righteousness.
  • Ps 117:2For his loving kindness is great toward us. Yahweh’s faithfulness endures forever. Praise Yah!
  • Acts 28:2The natives showed us uncommon kindness; for they kindled a fire, and received us all, because of the present rain, and because of the cold.
  • Hos 2:23I will sow her to me in the earth; and I will have mercy on her who had not obtained mercy; and I will tell those who were not my people, ‘You are my people;’ and they will say, ‘My God!’”
  • 1 Jn 5:11–12The testimony is this, that God gave to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
  • John 14:23Jesus answered him, “If a man loves me, he will keep my word. My Father will love him, and we will come to him, and make our home with him.
  • Acts 10:34–35Peter opened his mouth and said, “Truly I perceive that God doesn’t show favoritism;

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (7)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Colossians videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Colossians 3:11YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on ColossiansMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

The image of the invisible God, firstborn over creation, in whom all things hold together and all the fullness of God dwells bodily — supreme over every power.

How Colossians 3:11 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.