Colossians 3:19
New International Version
Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.

New Living Translation
Husbands, love your wives and never treat them harshly.

English Standard Version
Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them.

Berean Standard Bible
Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.

Berean Literal Bible
Husbands, love the wives and do not be harsh toward them.

King James Bible
Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.

New King James Version
Husbands, love your wives and do not be bitter toward them.

New American Standard Bible
Husbands, love your wives and do not become bitter against them.

NASB 1995
Husbands, love your wives and do not be embittered against them.

NASB 1977
Husbands, love your wives, and do not be embittered against them.

Legacy Standard Bible
Husbands, love your wives and do not be embittered against them.

Amplified Bible
Husbands, love your wives [with an affectionate, sympathetic, selfless love that always seeks the best for them] and do not be embittered or resentful toward them [because of the responsibilities of marriage].

Christian Standard Bible
Husbands, love your wives and don’t be bitter toward them.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Husbands, love your wives and don’t be bitter toward them.

American Standard Version
Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.

Contemporary English Version
A husband must love his wife and not abuse her.

English Revised Version
Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Husbands, love your wives, and don't be harsh with them.

Good News Translation
Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.

International Standard Version
Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them.

Majority Standard Bible
Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.

NET Bible
Husbands, love your wives and do not be embittered against them.

New Heart English Bible
Husbands, love your wives, and do not be bitter against them.

Webster's Bible Translation
Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.

Weymouth New Testament
Married men, be affectionate to your wives, and do not treat them harshly.

World English Bible
Husbands, love your wives, and don’t be bitter against them.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
the husbands: love your wives, and do not be bitter with them;

Berean Literal Bible
Husbands, love the wives and do not be harsh toward them.

Young's Literal Translation
the husbands! love your wives, and be not bitter with them;

Smith's Literal Translation
Men, love ye the wives, and be not embittered against them.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter towards them.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Husbands, love your wives, and do not be bitter toward them.

New American Bible
Husbands, love your wives, and avoid any bitterness toward them.

New Revised Standard Version
Husbands, love your wives and never treat them harshly.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter toward them.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Husbands, love your wives and do not be bitter toward them.
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.

Godbey New Testament
Ye husbands, love your wives with divine love, and be not harsh towards them.

Haweis New Testament
Husbands, love your wives, and use no asperity against them.

Mace New Testament
husbands, love your wives, and do not exasperate them.

Weymouth New Testament
Married men, be affectionate to your wives, and do not treat them harshly.

Worrell New Testament
Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter toward them.

Worsley New Testament
and ye husbands, love your wives, and be not embittered against them.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Christian Households
18Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them. 20Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is pleasing to the Lord.…

Cross References
Ephesians 5:25-33
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her / to sanctify her, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, / and to present her to Himself as a glorious church, without stain or wrinkle or any such blemish, but holy and blameless. ...

1 Peter 3:7
Husbands, in the same way, treat your wives with consideration as a delicate vessel, and with honor as fellow heirs of the gracious gift of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.

Ephesians 4:31-32
Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, outcry and slander, along with every form of malice. / Be kind and tenderhearted to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. / It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no account of wrongs. / Love takes no pleasure in evil, but rejoices in the truth. ...

Proverbs 31:10-12
A wife of noble character, who can find? She is far more precious than rubies. / The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he lacks nothing of value. / She brings him good and not harm all the days of her life.

Genesis 2:24
For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.

Malachi 2:14-16
Yet you ask, “Why?” It is because the LORD has been a witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have broken faith, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant. / Has not the LORD made them one, having a portion of the Spirit? And why one? Because He seeks godly offspring. So guard yourselves in your spirit and do not break faith with the wife of your youth. / “For I hate divorce,” says the LORD, the God of Israel. “He who divorces his wife covers his garment with violence,” says the LORD of Hosts. So guard yourselves in your spirit and do not break faith.

1 John 4:7-8
Beloved, let us love one another, because love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. / Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

Matthew 19:4-6
Jesus answered, “Have you not read that from the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ / and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? / So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.”

1 Corinthians 7:3-5
The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. / The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife. / Do not deprive each other, except by mutual consent and for a time, so you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again, so that Satan will not tempt you through your lack of self-control.

Song of Solomon 8:6-7
Set me as a seal over your heart, as a seal upon your arm. For love is as strong as death, its jealousy as unrelenting as Sheol. Its sparks are fiery flames, the fiercest blaze of all. / Mighty waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away. If a man were to give all the wealth of his house for love, his offer would be utterly scorned.

1 Timothy 5:8
If anyone does not provide for his own, and especially his own household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

Romans 12:9-10
Love must be sincere. Detest what is evil; cling to what is good. / Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Outdo yourselves in honoring one another.

Deuteronomy 24:5
If a man is newly married, he must not be sent to war or be pressed into any duty. For one year he is free to stay at home and bring joy to the wife he has married.

Proverbs 5:18-19
May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth: / A loving doe, a graceful fawn—may her breasts satisfy you always; may you be captivated by her love forever.


Treasury of Scripture

Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.

love.

Genesis 2:23,24
And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man…

Genesis 24:67
And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her: and Isaac was comforted after his mother's death.

Proverbs 5:18,19
Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth…

bitter.

Colossians 3:21
Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

Romans 3:14
Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:

Ephesians 4:31
Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

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Colossians 3
1. He shows where we should seek Christ.
5. He exhorts to holiness;
10. to put off the old self, and put on Christ;
12. exhorting to charity, humility,
18. and other duties.














Husbands
The term "husbands" in the original Greek is "ἀνδρες" (andres), which refers specifically to men in the role of a husband. In the cultural and historical context of the early church, husbands were often seen as the head of the household, responsible for the spiritual and physical well-being of their family. This role is not merely about authority but about stewardship and service, reflecting Christ's love for the church. The call to husbands is to lead with love, integrity, and humility, setting a godly example for their families.

love
The Greek word used here is "ἀγαπᾶτε" (agapate), derived from "ἀγάπη" (agape), which signifies a selfless, sacrificial, unconditional love. This is the same type of love that God shows humanity and that Christ demonstrated through His sacrifice on the cross. Husbands are called to love their wives with this profound, Christ-like love, prioritizing their well-being and spiritual growth. This love is not based on emotions or circumstances but is a deliberate choice to seek the highest good for one's wife.

your wives
The phrase "your wives" emphasizes the personal and intimate relationship between a husband and his wife. In the biblical context, marriage is a covenantal relationship, reflecting the covenant between Christ and the church. This relationship is sacred and should be nurtured with care, respect, and devotion. The husband's love for his wife should mirror the commitment and faithfulness that God shows to His people.

and do not be harsh
The Greek word for "harsh" is "πικραίνεσθε" (pikrainesthe), which can also mean to embitter or provoke. This instruction is a direct command against any form of bitterness, resentment, or harsh treatment. In a time when patriarchal norms often allowed for authoritarian behavior, this was a radical call to gentleness and kindness. Husbands are urged to create a home environment that is nurturing and supportive, avoiding any actions or words that could cause emotional harm or discord.

with them
The phrase "with them" underscores the mutual and relational aspect of marriage. It is a reminder that marriage is a partnership, where both husband and wife are to work together in unity and love. The husband's role is not to dominate but to cherish and honor his wife, fostering a relationship that reflects the love and unity found in the Trinity. This mutual respect and love are foundational to a healthy, God-honoring marriage.

(19) Be not bitter.--Properly, grow not bitter, suffer not yourselves to be exasperated. The word is used metaphorically only in this passage, literally in Revelation 8:11; Revelation 10:9-10.

Verse 19. - Ye husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them (Ephesians 5:25-31; 1 Peter 3:7). "Love" is ἀγαπάω, the word which expresses the highest spiritual affection - "even as Christ loved the Church" (Ephesians 5:25). Here, first and most of all, the "new commandment" of John 13:34 applies. St. Paul only uses the verb πικραίνω ("to make bitter") here, but he has the noun πικρία ("bitterness") in a wider application in Ephesians 4:31. It denotes "exasperation," prompting to hasty severity. Bengel defines it as "odium amori mixtum" - hatred infused into love.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
Husbands,
ἄνδρες (andres)
Noun - Vocative Masculine Plural
Strong's 435: A male human being; a man, husband. A primary word; a man.

love
ἀγαπᾶτε (agapate)
Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 25: To love, wish well to, take pleasure in, long for; denotes the love of reason, esteem. Perhaps from agan; to love.

[your]
τὰς (tas)
Article - Accusative Feminine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

wives
γυναῖκας (gynaikas)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Plural
Strong's 1135: A woman, wife, my lady. Probably from the base of ginomai; a woman; specially, a wife.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

{do} not
μὴ (mē)
Adverb
Strong's 3361: Not, lest. A primary particle of qualified negation; not, lest; also (whereas ou expects an affirmative one) whether.

be harsh
πικραίνεσθε (pikrainesthe)
Verb - Present Imperative Middle or Passive - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4087: To make bitter, embitter; pass: I grow angry or harsh. From pikros; to embitter.

with
πρὸς (pros)
Preposition
Strong's 4314: To, towards, with. A strengthened form of pro; a preposition of direction; forward to, i.e. Toward.

them.
αὐτάς (autas)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Feminine 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.


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NT Letters: Colossians 3:19 Husbands love your wives and don't be (Coloss. Col Co)
Colossians 3:18
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