Colossians 3 7

Colossians 3:7 kjv

In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.

Colossians 3:7 nkjv

in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.

Colossians 3:7 niv

You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived.

Colossians 3:7 esv

In these you too once walked, when you were living in them.

Colossians 3:7 nlt

You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world.

Colossians 3 verses

Colossians 3 7 Meaning

Colossians 3:7 serves as a poignant reminder to believers in Colossae, and by extension to all Christians, of their former way of life—a life characterized by specific sinful practices listed in the preceding verses. It highlights that before their conversion and union with Christ, they were immersed in and habitually conducted their lives according to these morally corrupt behaviors. The verse contrasts their past fallen existence with their present identity and calling in Christ, implicitly urging a complete departure from such practices.

Colossians 3 7 Context

Colossians 3:7 is situated within a significant theological and practical section of Paul's letter, where he transitions from Christological teaching (Col 1-2) to ethical exhortation. The immediate context begins in Colossians 3:1-4, establishing the believers' new identity: they have been raised with Christ, their lives are hidden with Him, and their ultimate hope is His glorious appearing. This heavenly focus serves as the foundation for practical living.

Colossians 3:5 then introduces a clear command: "Put to death therefore what is earthly in you," followed by a list of vices—sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness (which is idolatry). Colossians 3:6 adds the grave consequence for those who practice such things: "On account of these things the wrath of God is coming." Verse 7 directly connects back to these enumerated sins, serving as a forceful reminder that the Colossian believers once lived by these very practices. It creates a stark contrast between their former, unredeemed life and their new life in Christ, compelling them to live consistently with their newfound identity. The implication is that if these sins once defined their past and led to divine wrath, they certainly should no longer define their present or future.

Historically, the Colossian church comprised predominantly Gentile believers who came from a background steeped in pagan worship and the prevalent immoral practices of Roman society. Their former lives likely included elements of the very sins Paul lists. Thus, Paul's words were not merely theological instruction but a practical call to a radical break from their previous cultural norms and personal habits, reinforcing their unique identity in Christ as separate from the world around them.

Colossians 3 7 Word analysis

• in which (ἐν οἷς - en hois):

  • en (in, within) and hois (which/these things, plural dative).
  • Significance: This phrase directly refers back to the specific vices listed in Col 3:5: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness. It means "in these very things" or "in connection with these practices," emphasizing the subject's active participation in them.

• you yourselves (ὑμεῖς - hymeis):

  • Greek personal pronoun, second person plural, nominative, emphatic.
  • Significance: The emphatic use of "you yourselves" highlights the Colossians' personal and undeniable involvement in these practices in the past. It stresses their prior state, ensuring no one can deny their former condition. It brings the reality home to each individual reader.

• once (ποτέ - pote):

  • An adverb meaning "formerly," "at some time," or "in the past."
  • Significance: This small word crucial. It marks a clear division between the past and the present. It indicates a temporal break, underscoring that the former life of sin is now behind them due to their conversion and new identity in Christ. This "once" implies a definitive, completed transition.

• walked (περιεπατήσατε - periepatesate):

  • From peripateo (περιπατέω), literally "to walk around," but metaphorically, "to live, to conduct oneself, to order one's life, to behave." Aorist tense, indicating a past completed action or a characteristic way of life in the past.
  • Significance: In biblical thought, "walking" is a common metaphor for one's lifestyle or manner of living (e.g., "walk in the Spirit," "walk in love," "walk in darkness"). Here, it describes their habitual, characteristic behavior before Christ—their entire conduct was governed by these sinful desires.

• when you were living (ὅτε ἐζῆτε - hote ezete):

  • hote (when, while) and ezete (imperfect form of zao, to live, be alive).
  • Significance: The imperfect tense "were living" emphasizes the continuous and ongoing nature of their past engagement with sin. It's not just a momentary lapse but describes the prevailing condition of their lives—they lived in these things, meaning these vices characterized their very existence and identity before Christ. It paints a picture of being engrossed in and defined by these practices.

• in these things (ἐν τούτοις - en toutois):

  • en (in) and toutois (these, plural dative).
  • Significance: This phrase again points to the list of vices in Col 3:5, reiterating their environment or the elements that made up their life. They weren't just dabbling in sin but were fundamentally within or defined by these sinful ways, emphasizing their comprehensive embrace of such a lifestyle.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "in which you yourselves once walked": This phrase emphasizes the past (once) and personal (you yourselves) conduct (walked) of the believers, which was directly aligned with the sins mentioned previously. It paints a picture of their former life's entire trajectory and behavior being intertwined with these corrupt desires.

• "when you were living in these things": This further elaborates on the immersive and continuous nature of their former sinful life. It means that these sins were not mere external actions but foundational elements that constituted and governed their very existence ("living"). They were not occasional transgressions but represented the very fabric of their being before redemption, profoundly illustrating the transformative power of Christ in contrast to their old nature.

Colossians 3 7 Bonus section

The metaphor of "walking" in Scripture (peripateo) is never about standing still; it denotes progress, direction, and the consistent tenor of one's daily life. Thus, when Colossians 3:7 states they "once walked" in these things, it implies a systematic engagement, a journey, and a whole mode of existence guided by these sinful desires. This "walk" was not just a series of isolated acts but their overarching lifestyle. The stark contrast intended by Paul is a theological anchor for the concept of sanctification – the ongoing process where a believer is progressively conformed to the image of Christ and sheds the remnants of their former way of life. The past, as detailed in this verse, is a historical record, not a present reality or a future possibility for the believer.

Colossians 3 7 Commentary

Colossians 3:7 acts as a foundational truth that underscores the radical nature of Christian conversion and the demands it places on a believer's conduct. Paul reminds the Colossian believers, not to condemn, but to reinforce the stark difference between their former life and their present identity in Christ. The specific sins listed in Colossians 3:5, such as sexual immorality, impurity, and covetousness, were pervasive in Greco-Roman society. By highlighting that "you yourselves once walked" and "were living in these things," Paul makes it personal and undeniable, emphasizing that such behavior was characteristic and defining of their unregenerate state.

This verse builds on the command to "put to death" these earthly aspects of self (Col 3:5). The fact that divine "wrath" is coming upon "the sons of disobedience" (Col 3:6) serves as a solemn warning that such practices are irreconcilable with a new life in Christ. Therefore, the memory of their past serves as motivation to rigorously separate themselves from these former ways. It is a call to recognize that if those very things defined them before salvation and merited judgment, they have absolutely no place in a life after salvation, which is hidden with Christ in God. The "once" is a theological line in the sand, marking the definitive break that occurred when they received Christ, initiating a transformed life. Practically, this means a continuous, intentional effort to shed the old habits and embrace new, Christ-like behaviors, living in a manner consistent with their new spiritual reality.