Colossians 3:23
BSB · Public Domain (CC0)“Whatever you do, work at it with your whole being, for the Lord and not for men,”
What this verse means
Whatever we do, we should work at it wholeheartedly as for the Lord, not merely for human approval—giving everyday work dignity and purpose.
Read the full meaningCompare translations
BSBPD
“Whatever you do, work at it with your whole being, for the Lord and not for men,”
Berean Standard Bible · Public Domain (CC0)KJVPD
“And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;”
King James Version · Public DomainASVPD
“whatsoever ye do, work heartily, as unto the Lord, and not unto men;”
American Standard Version · Public DomainYLTPD
“and all, whatever ye may do--out of soul work--as to the Lord, and not to men,”
Young's Literal Translation · Public DomainCross references
Other passages that echo Colossians 3:23 — 18 related verses from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- 2 Chronicles 31:21He was diligent in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law and the commandments, in order to seek his God. And so he prospered.
- Psalms 47:6Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises!
- Psalms 103:1Bless the LORD, O my soul; all that is within me, bless His holy name.
- Psalms 119:10With all my heart I have sought You; do not let me stray from Your commandments.
- Psalms 119:34Give me understanding that I may obey Your law, and follow it with all my heart.
- Psalms 119:145I call with all my heart; answer me, O LORD! I will obey Your statutes.
- Ecclesiastes 9:10Whatever you find to do with your hands, do it with all your might, for in Sheol, where you are going, there is no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom.
- Jeremiah 3:10Yet in spite of all this, her unfaithful sister Judah did not return to Me with all her heart, but only in pretense,” declares the LORD.
- Zechariah 7:5“Ask all the people of the land and the priests, ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months for these seventy years, was it really for Me that you fasted?
- Matthew 6:16When you fast, do not be somber like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward.
- Romans 14:6He who observes a special day does so to the Lord; he who eats does so to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God.
- Romans 14:8If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.
- Ephesians 5:22Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord.
- Ephesians 6:6And do this not only to please them while they are watching, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart.
- Colossians 3:17And 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.
- 1 Peter 1:22Since you have purified your souls by obedience to the truth so that you have a genuine love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from a pure heart.
- 1 Peter 2:13Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to the king as the supreme authority,
- 1 Peter 2:15For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorance of foolish men.
Cross-reference data: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain) via OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0).
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