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Bear with one another and forgive any complaint you may have against someone else. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
Colossians 3:13 · Berean Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB 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.
  • KJV Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
  • NKJV bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.
  • NASB bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so must you do also.
  • NLT Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.

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

They are to bear with and forgive one another as Christ forgave them. Forgiveness received becomes forgiveness extended.

Overview

Paul calls for 'bearing with one another, and forgiving each other' when complaints arise. The pattern and motive is 'even as Christ forgave you, so you also do.' The lavish forgiveness believers have received in Christ is both the model and the power for forgiving others.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 24

  • Eph 4:32Be kind and tenderhearted to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you.
  • Mark 11:25And when you stand to pray, if you hold anything against another, forgive it, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your trespasses as well.”
  • Jas 2:13For judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
  • Eph 4:2with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,
  • Matt 6:14–15For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
  • Rom 15:1–2We who are strong ought to bear with the shortcomings of the weak and not to please ourselves.
  • Luke 6:35–37But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.
  • Matt 6:12And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
  • Luke 17:3–4Watch yourselves. If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.
  • Gal 6:2Carry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
  • Luke 23:34Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up His garments by casting lots.
  • 2 Cor 2:10If you forgive anyone, I also forgive him. And if I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven it in the presence of Christ for your sake,
  • 2 Cor 6:6in purity, knowledge, patience, and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love;
  • Luke 11:4And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.’”
  • Matt 18:15–17If your brother sins against you, go and confront him privately. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over.
  • Matt 5:44But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
  • Rom 15:7Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring glory to God.
  • 1 Cor 6:7–8The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means that you are thoroughly defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated?
  • Col 3:12Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with hearts of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
  • Luke 5:20–24When Jesus saw their faith, He said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”
  • 1 Pet 2:21For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His footsteps:
  • Eph 5:2and walk in love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant sacrificial offering to God.
  • Matt 18:21–35Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother who sins against me? Up to seven times?”
  • Luke 7:48–50Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (11)

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 3:13YouTube · 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 3:13 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.