Section 3:18–4:1

Paul instructed husbands and wives, children and parents, slaves and masters

In this section, Paul continued to instruct the Colossians about the way that they should behave in order to please Christ. In this section, however, he was writing about how they should behave at home rather than within the Christian community. He gave instructions to six types of people: wives and husbands, children and parents, slaves and masters. His message was the same for all:

(a) That people should submit to those who had authority over them,

(b) That those who had authority should be considerate toward those under them.

Paul gave instructions to wives in 3:18, to husbands in 3:19, to children in 3:20, to parents in 3:21, to slaves in 3:22, and to masters in 4:1. Make sure you begin each of these verses in the same way.

Paragraph 3:18–19

Theme: Paul gave instructions to husbands and wives: that wives should be subject to their husbands, and husbands should love their wives.

3:18a

Wives: Here Paul was writing specifically to the married women. You may need to use the pronoun “you”(plural) in translating this, for example: “You believers who are married women.” In other languages it may be better to translate this “Each of you who is a married woman.” Use whichever way is most natural in your language.

submit to your husbands: The word submit means that a wife must acknowledge that her husband is the leader in their family, she must put herself under his control. In some languages it may need to be translated as “obey.” This command is in the present tense in Greek. This means that a wife should continually submit to her husband.

3:18b

as is fitting in the Lord: Paul was saying that wives should submit to their husbands because that is the way that women who belong to the Lord should behave. It is behavior that is fitting, appropriate, and correct.

Lord: This refers to the Lord Jesus.

3:19a

Husbands: Here Paul is writing specifically to the married men. You may need to use the pronoun “you”(plural) in translating this, for example: “You believers who are married men.” In other languages it may be better to translate this “Each of you who is a married man.” Use whichever way is most natural in your language.

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