Colossians 3:8

Colossians 3:8, in plain English

Now that you belong to Christ, you need to shed anger, rage, hatred, insulting speech, and any kind of vicious talk—these don't belong to your new identity.

Why it's here

Paul moves from sexual and material sins to relational sins—the ones that destroy community. The Colossian church needed this because false teachers had likely created division, arrogance, and harsh judgment. Anger, rage, malice, slander, and abusive language are relationship-killers. Paul is building toward verse 12, where he'll tell them what to put on instead.

Who's speaking

Paul

Where it sits in the story

This echoes Ephesians 4:29-32, where Paul tells believers not to let corrupting talk come out of their mouths but to speak what builds others up. It's part of his bigger vision of how Christians should treat one another.

The scholarly reading

You must discard relational vices—uncontrolled anger, hostile intensity, animosity, slanderous speech, and vulgar language—sins of the tongue and affect that destroy community.

Language and setting

Paul shifts emphasis from sexual and economic vices to those specifically damaging to community cohesion. The context suggests divisive false teachers and potential conflicts within the congregation. The Greek terms (θυμός, thymos—emotional outburst; ὀργή, orge—sustained anger; βλασφημία, blasphemia—speech that demeans) represent vices particularly destructive to κοινωνία (koinonia—genuine communal fellowship).

Voice

Paul, addressing interpersonal dynamics within the congregation.

Significance

This develops James's teaching on taming the tongue (3:1-12) and recalls Jesus's teaching that words emerge from the abundance of the heart (Matthew 12:34-35). It reflects early Christian prioritization of reconciliation and truthful speech as marks of authentic community.

6Because of these, the wrath of God is coming on the sons of disobedience.

7When you lived among them, you also used to walk in these ways.

8But now you must put aside all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.

9Do not lie to one another, since you have taken off the old self with its practices,

10and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.

Read all of Colossians 3 — You have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. Strip off the old self like worn-out clothing and put on compassion, kindness, and love.