Colossians 3 · Verse 17

Colossians 3:17

And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
Colossians 3:17, King James Version

Colossians 3:17 in other translations

BSBAnd whatever you do, in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
WEBWhatever you do, in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
ASVAnd whatsoever ye do, in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
YLTand all, whatever ye may do in word or in work, do all things in the name of the Lord Jesus--giving thanks to the God and Father, through him.
DARBYAnd everything, whatever ye may do in word or in deed, do all things in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father by him.
BBEAnd whatever you do, in word or in act, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving praise to God the Father through him.
WebsterAnd whatever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

What does Colossians 3:17 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
17. Literally, "And everything whatsoever ye do ... do all," &c.; this includes words as well as deeds. in the name of the Lord Jesus--as disciples called by His name as His, seeking His guidance and help, and desiring to act so as to gain His approval (Ro 14:8; 1Co 10:31; 2Co 5:15; 1Pe 4:11). Compare "in the Lord," Col 3:18, and "Christ is all," Col 3:11. God and the Father--The oldest manuscripts omit "and," which seems to have crept in from Ep 5:20. by him--Greek, "through Him" as the channel of His grace to us, and of our thanksgiving to Him (Joh 14:6, end).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 17. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed. Whatever ye say or do--whether relating to temporal affairs or to religion. The command here extends to all that we do.

Do all in the name of the Lord Jesus. Do it all because he requires and commands it, and with a desire to honour him. His authority should be the warrant; his glory the aim of all our actions and words. See the general sentiment here expressed fully illustrated in 1Cor 10:31.

Giving thanks to God and the Father by him. Through him; or in his name. All our actions are to be accompanied with thanksgiving. Php 4:6. We are to engage in every duty, not only in the name of Christ, but with thankfulness for strength and reason; for the privilege of acting so that we may honour him; and with a grateful remembrance of the mercy of God, that gave us such a Saviour to be an example and guide. He is most likely to do his duty well who goes to it with a heart overflowing with gratitude to God for his mercies; and he who is likely to perform his duties with the most cheerful fidelity, is he who has the deepest sense of the Divine goodness in providing a Saviour for his lost and ruined soul. 2Cor 5:14,15.

(f) "whatsoever ye do" 1Cor 10:31

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 17 Whatsoever ye do in word or deed - Let your words be right, and your actions upright. Do all in the name of the Lord Jesus - Begin with him, and end with him; invoke his name, and pray for his direction and support, in all that ye do; and thus every work will be crowned with all requisite success. Doing every thing in the name of God, and referring every thing to his glory, is as rational as it is pious. Could it be ever supposed that any person would begin a bad work in God's name? However, it is so. No people in the universe more strictly adhere to the letter of this advice than the Mohammedans; for they never undertake a work, eat meat, nor write a book, without prefacing all with: - Bismillahi, Arrahmani, Arraheemi; "In the name of the most merciful and compassionate God." Not only books of devotion, but books on all arts and sciences, books of tales and romances, books of poetry, and those on the elements of reading, etc., begin thus; nay, it is prefixed to the Lizit un Nissa, one of the most abominable productions that ever came from the pen of man, and is precisely the same among the Mohammedans, as the infamous work of Nicholas Chorier, called Elegantiae Latini Sermonis, falsely attributed to John Meursius, has been among some called Christians. Of both, with a trifling hyperbole, it may be said: "Surely these books were written in hell, and the author of them must certainly be the devil." Giving thanks to God - Even praises, as well as prayers, must ascend to God through this Mediator. We have no authority to say that God will accept even our thanksgiving, unless it ascend to him through Christ Jesus.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Colossians 3:12-17

We must not only do no hurt to any, but do what good we can to all. Those who are the elect of God, holy and beloved, ought to be lowly and compassionate towards all. While in this world, where there is so much corruption in our hearts, quarrels will sometimes arise. But it is our duty to forgive one another, imitating the forgiveness through which we are saved. Let the peace of God rule in your hearts; it is of his…

Read the full comment on Colossians 3:12-17 →

Colossians 3:17 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

καὶkaiAndG2532
πᾶνpaneverythingG3956
ὅhowhichG3739
τιtiwhatG5100
ἐὰνeanmaybeG1437
ποιῆτεpoiēteyou shall doG4160
ἐνeninG1722
λόγῳlogōwordG3056
ἢēorG2228
ἐνeninG1722
ἔργῳ,ergōdeed,G2041
πάνταpantaallG3956
ἐνeninG1722
ὀνόματιonomati[the] nameG3686
κυρίουkuriouof [the] LordG2962
ἸησοῦIēsouJesusG2424
εὐχαριστοῦντεςeucharistountesgiving thanksG2168
τῷtō<the>G3588
θεῷtheōto GodG2316
πατρὶpatri[the] FatherG3962
δι᾽di᾽throughG1223
αὐτοῦ.¶autouHim.G846

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Colossians 3:17

  • 1 Corinthians 10:31

    Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

  • Colossians 3:23

    And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;

  • Proverbs 3:6

    In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

  • Ephesians 5:20

    Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

  • 1 Thessalonians 5:18

    In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

  • 1 Peter 4:11

    If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

  • 1 Peter 2:5

    Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

  • Hebrews 13:15

    By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.

  • 1 John 3:18

    My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

  • Romans 14:6-8

    He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks. For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.

  • 2 Chronicles 31:20-21

    And thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah, and wrought that which was good and right and truth before the Lord his God. And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered.

  • Micah 4:5

    For all people will walk every one in the name of his god, and we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
whatsoever.
23; 2Ch 31:20,21; Pr 3:6; Ro 14:6-8; 1Co 10:31
in word.
2Th 2:17; 1Jo 3:18
in the.
Mic 4:5; Mt 28:19; Ac 4:30; 19:17; Php 1:11; 1Th 4:1,2
giving.
1:12; 2:7; Ro 1:8; Eph 5:20; 1Th 5:18; Heb 13:15; 1Pe 2:5,9; 4:11
God.
Eph 1:17; Php 2:11; 1Th 1:1; Heb 1:5; 1Jo 2:23

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Colossians 3:16

    Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

  • Colossians 3:17

    And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

  • Colossians 3:18

    Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.

Read all of Colossians 3

Colossians 3:17 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y todo lo que hacéis, sea de palabra, ó de hecho, hacedlo todo en el nombre del Señor Jesús, dando gracias á Dios Padre por él.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et quelque chose que vous fassiez, en parole ou en œuvre, faites tout au nom du seigneur Jésus, rendant grâces par lui à Dieu le Père.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und alles, was immer ihr tut, im Wort oder im Werk, alles tut im Namen des Herrn Jesus, danksagend Gott, dem Vater, durch ihn.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Omne, quodcumque facitis in verbo aut in opere, omnia in nomine Domini Jesu Christi, gratias agentes Deo et Patri per ipsum.