Colossians 3:14
New International Version
And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

New Living Translation
Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.

English Standard Version
And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

Berean Standard Bible
And over all these virtues put on love, which is the bond of perfect unity.

Berean Literal Bible
And beyond all these, put on love, which is the bond of perfect unity.

King James Bible
And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.

New King James Version
But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.

New American Standard Bible
In addition to all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.

NASB 1995
Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.

NASB 1977
And beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.

Legacy Standard Bible
Above all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.

Amplified Bible
Beyond all these things put on and wrap yourselves in [unselfish] love, which is the perfect bond of unity [for everything is bound together in agreement when each one seeks the best for others].

Christian Standard Bible
Above all, put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Above all, put on love—the perfect bond of unity.

American Standard Version
and above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfectness.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And with all these things, love, which is the bond of perfection.

Contemporary English Version
Love is more important than anything else. It is what ties everything completely together.

Douay-Rheims Bible
But above all these things have charity, which is the bond of perfection:

English Revised Version
and above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfectness.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Above all, be loving. This ties everything together perfectly.

Good News Translation
And to all these qualities add love, which binds all things together in perfect unity.

International Standard Version
Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which ties everything together in unity.

Literal Standard Version
and above all these things, [have] love, which is a bond of the perfection,

Majority Standard Bible
And over all these virtues put on love, which is the bond of perfect unity.

New American Bible
And over all these put on love, that is, the bond of perfection.

NET Bible
And to all these virtues add love, which is the perfect bond.

New Revised Standard Version
Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

New Heart English Bible
Above all these things, walk in love, which is the bond of perfection.

Webster's Bible Translation
And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.

Weymouth New Testament
And over all these put on love, which is the perfect bond of union;

World English Bible
Above all these things, walk in love, which is the bond of perfection.

Young's Literal Translation
and above all these things, have love, which is a bond of the perfection,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Putting on the New Self
13Bear with one another and forgive any complaint you may have against someone else. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14And over all these virtues put on love, which is the bond of perfect unity. 15Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, for to this you were called as members of one body. And be thankful.…

Cross References
John 17:23
I in them and You in Me--that they may be perfectly united, so that the world may know that You sent Me and have loved them just as You have loved Me.

Ephesians 4:3
and with diligence to preserve the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

Ephesians 5:2
and walk in love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant sacrificial offering to God.

Hebrews 6:1
Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith in God,

1 John 3:10
By this the children of God are distinguished from the children of the devil: Anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is anyone who does not love his brother.


Treasury of Scripture

And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfection.

charity.

Colossians 2:2
That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;

John 13:34
A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

John 15:12
This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

the.

Ephesians 1:4
According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

Ephesians 4:3
Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

1 John 4:7-12
Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God…

Jump to Previous
Add Binds Bond Charity Completely Harmony Joined Love Perfect Perfection Perfectness Together Union Unity Virtues Walk Way
Jump to Next
Add Binds Bond Charity Completely Harmony Joined Love Perfect Perfection Perfectness Together Union Unity Virtues Walk Way
Colossians 3
1. He shows where we should seek Christ.
5. He exhorts to holiness;
10. to put off the old self, and put on Christ;
12. exhorting to charity, humility,
18. and other duties.














(14) Above all.--Properly, over all--as a bond or cincture to keep all together. Love is the general principle, harmonising all the special graces named above.

The bond of perfectness.--The bond of that harmony of character which is perfection. The phrase is remarkable, apparently suggested by the claim to perfection, set up by the Gnostic teachers. They sought such perfection in knowledge peculiar to the few; St. Paul in the love which is possible to all. For as he elsewhere urges (1Corinthians 8:1)," Knowledge puffs up, charity builds up;" knowledge gains a fancied perfection, charity a real perfection.

Verse 14. - And over all these things (put on) love, which (thing) is the bond of perfectness (Colossians 2:2; Ephesians 4:2, 3; Ephesians 5:1; Philippians 2:2; 1 Corinthians 13; Galatians 5:13-15, 22; Romans 13:8-10; 2 Peter 1:7; 1 John 4:7-21; John 13:34, 35). In 1 Corinthians 13. "love" is the substance or substratum of the Christian virtues; in Galatians 5:22 it is their head and beginning; here it is that which embraces and completes them. They imply love, but it is more than them all together. They lie within its circumference; wanting it, they fall to pieces and are nothing. (For συνδεσμός ("bond" or "band"), comp. Colossians 2:19.) In Ephesians 4:3 we have the "bond of peace" (see next verse). Love is the bond in the active sense, as that wherewith the constituents of a Christian character or the members of a Church are bound together: peace, in a passive sense, as that wherein the union consists (comp. 1 Corinthians 1:10; 2 Corinthians 13:11). "Love" (compare "covetousness," ver. 5) is made conspicuous by the Greek definite article - being that eminent, essential grace of Christian love (Colossians 1:4, 8; Colossians 2:2; 1 Corinthians 13; 1 John 4:16, etc.). "Perfectness" is genitive of object, not of quality: love unifies the elements of Christian goodness and gives them in itself their "perfectness" (Romans 13:10). (For "perfectness," see note on "perfect," Colossians 1:28; and comp. 4:12.) Against Galatian teachers of circumcision, and Corinthian exalters of knowledge, the apostle had magnified the supremacy of love (Galatians 5:6; 1 Corinthians 8:1-3); and so against the Colossian mysticism and asceticism he sets it forth as the crown of spiritual perfection, the goal of human excellence (comp. Ephesians 4:15, 16).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
And
δὲ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.

over
ἐπὶ (epi)
Preposition
Strong's 1909: On, to, against, on the basis of, at.

all
πᾶσιν (pasin)
Adjective - Dative Neuter Plural
Strong's 3956: All, the whole, every kind of. Including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole.

these [virtues]
τούτοις (toutois)
Demonstrative Pronoun - Dative Neuter Plural
Strong's 3778: This; he, she, it.

[put on] love,
ἀγάπην (agapēn)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 26: From agapao; love, i.e. Affection or benevolence; specially a love-feast.

which
(ho)
Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3739: Who, which, what, that.

is
ἐστιν (estin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

[the] bond
σύνδεσμος (syndesmos)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 4886: That which binds together; a band, bond. From sun and desmon; a joint tie, i.e. Ligament, uniting principle, control.

of perfect unity.
τελειότητος (teleiotētos)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 5047: Perfectness, perfection, maturity. From teleios; completeness.


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NT Letters: Colossians 3:14 Above all these things walk in love (Coloss. Col Co)
Colossians 3:13
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