Bible Strands
Colossians 3:14
And over all these virtues put on love, which is the bond of perfect unity.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Paul writes to the Colossian church, placing this verse as the capstone of a list of virtues (3:12–14) that follows a command to forgive (3:13) and precedes a call to peace (3:15).
The words — ἐπὶ (epi, "beyond/over") is the structural key: love is not another item in the list but the thing that sits above and binds all the others. ἀγάπην (agapēn, "love") is the object of the imperative "put on," making it an action rather than a feeling.
The thread — 1 Peter 4:8 uses the same "above all" framing ("above all, love one another deeply"), and 1 Corinthians 13:1 shows what the virtues look like without love.
Why it lands — It asks the reader to stop treating love as one more item to check off and recognize it as the condition that makes the rest of the list function.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
Cross-references
- 1 Peter 4:8 Above all, love one another deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.
- Ephesians 5:2 and walk in love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant sacrificial offering to God.
- 1 Corinthians 13:1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a ringing gong or a clanging cymbal.
- Colossians 2:2 that they may be encouraged in heart, knit together in love, and filled with the full riches of complete understanding, so that they may know the mystery of God, namely Christ,
- John 13:34 A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also must love one another.
- Romans 13:8 Be indebted to no one, except to one another in love. For he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.
- Ephesians 4:3 and with diligence to preserve the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
- 1 Timothy 1:5 The goal of our instruction is the love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and a sincere faith.
- 1 John 4:21 And we have this commandment from Him: Whoever loves God must love his brother as well.
- John 15:12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.