🌟WEB · Colossians 3:6
What does Colossians 3:6 mean?
"for which things’ sake the wrath of God comes on the children of disobedience."
— Colossians 3:6 (World English Bible)
Surrounding context
For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
When Christ, our life, is revealed, then you will also be revealed with him in glory.
Put to death therefore your members which are on the earth: sexual immorality, uncleanness, depraved passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry;
for which things’ sake the wrath of God comes on the children of disobedience.
You also once walked in those, when you lived in them;
but now you also put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and shameful speaking out of your mouth.
Don’t lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old man with his doings,
Explanation
Colossians 3:6 comes right after Paul lists a series of sins in verse 5 — sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed (which he calls idolatry). Verse 6 explains the seriousness of these behaviors: it is because of these very things that God's wrath falls on those who persist in disobedience toward him. In plain language, Paul is saying that these sins are not minor moral failings to be shrugged off, but serious offenses that provoke God's righteous judgment against those who live in willful rebellion against him.
The letter to the Colossians was written by the apostle Paul (likely while imprisoned, around AD 60-62) to a church he had not personally founded but felt responsible for, since it was established through the ministry of his associate Epaphras. The Colossian believers were being influenced by false teachings that blended Jewish legalism, mystical philosophy, and perhaps ascetic practices, all
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