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But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.
Colossians 3:25 · King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB But he who does wrong will receive again for the wrong that he has done, and there is no partiality.
  • BSB Whoever does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism.
  • NKJV But he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done, and there is no partiality.
  • NASB For the one who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and that without partiality.
  • NLT But if you do what is wrong, you will be paid back for the wrong you have done. For God has no favorites.

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

Wrongdoing will be repaid, for God judges without favoritism. It matters because no one, whether master or servant, escapes accountability before an impartial God.

Overview

Paul balances the promise of reward with a warning of just recompense for wrong. The statement that there is 'no partiality' assures servants that powerful wrongdoers are not exempt, and warns everyone that status grants no immunity before God. Faithful Christians have differed over whether the wrongdoer in view is primarily the servant or the master, but the principle of God's impartial justice applies to all, and ultimately drives sinners to find their refuge in Christ.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 19

  • Acts 10:34Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
  • Rom 2:11For there is no respect of persons with God.
  • 2 Cor 5:10For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
  • Deut 10:17For the LORD your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward:
  • 1 Th 4:6That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified.
  • Eph 6:9And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him.
  • 2 Chr 19:7Wherefore now let the fear of the LORD be upon you; take heed and do it: for there is no iniquity with the LORD our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of gifts.
  • 1 Pet 1:17And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:
  • Heb 2:2For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward;
  • Col 4:1Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven.
  • Lev 19:15Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour.
  • Deut 1:17Ye shall not respect persons in judgment; but ye shall hear the small as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment is God’s: and the cause that is too hard for you, bring it unto me, and I will hear it.
  • 2 Sam 14:14For we must needs die, and are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again; neither doth God respect any person: yet doth he devise means, that his banished be not expelled from him.
  • Job 34:19How much less to him that accepteth not the persons of princes, nor regardeth the rich more than the poor? for they all are the work of his hands.
  • Job 37:24Men do therefore fear him: he respecteth not any that are wise of heart.
  • Luke 20:21And they asked him, saying, Master, we know that thou sayest and teachest rightly, neither acceptest thou the person of any, but teachest the way of God truly:
  • 1 Cor 6:7–8Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?
  • Jude 1:16These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage.
  • Phlm 1:18If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account;

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (3)

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 3:25YouTube · 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 3:25 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.