Jeffrey Johnson Supporter

Why the command to "put off all such things" in Colossians 3:8 ESV?

"But now do ye also put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, railing, shameful speaking out of your mouth: 9 lie not one to another; seeing that ye have put off the old man with his doings, 10 and have put on the new man, that is being renewed unto knowledge after the image of him that created him."

When you read Paul's words in verses 9-10, we see what Paul is referring to.

Verse 10 - Paul says that we have to put on the "New Man", in other words, a spiritual being - the expressions in the verses are appropriate because Christians have been "made new in the force actuating [their] mind." (Eph 4:23) The driving force or inclination of their mind is in a spiritual direction.

Think of this example: What would you do if your clothing became dirty, perhaps even having a foul odour? 

You would strip off the smelly, dirty garment as soon as possible. 

Similarly, we need to act with urgency in obeying the command to strip off habits that are contrary to God's personality. 

We want to listen to Paul's clear instruction to Christians in his day: "You must put them all away from you.” 

The sinful practices listed by Paul​—sexual immorality and uncleanness​—are outlined in Colossians 3:5-9.

Paul's letter to the Colossians is still relevant today. Paul wrote:

"8 But now do ye also put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, railing, shameful speaking out of your mouth: 9 lie not one to another; seeing that ye have put off the old man with his doings,"

Summary of the thought:

Paul's command in Colossians 3:8 to "put off all such things" calls for a decisive break with behaviours that fracture community and contradict the new life believers claim in Christ. He names anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language because these are not just private flaws; they are relational toxins. They corrode trust, distort how people see one another, and ultimately undermine the unity the gospel is meant to create.

The phrase "put off" evokes removing a garment. Paul is saying these attitudes do not belong to the identity believers now wear. They may feel familiar, even justified, but they are leftovers from an old way of living shaped by self‑protection, pride, and retaliation. The new life he describes in the surrounding verses is rooted in Christ's character—patience, compassion, humility—and those qualities cannot coexist with the destructive impulses listed in verse 8.

There is also a practical dimension. The Colossian church was diverse and young, full of people learning how to live together across cultural and social divides. Paul knew that doctrinal clarity alone would not hold them together. Their relationships had to be reshaped. Removing harmful speech and hostile reactions was essential if they were going to grow into a community where Christ's peace could actually rule.

Finally, the command is not about moral perfection but intentional transformation. "Put off" implies an ongoing choice: recognising when these attitudes surface, refusing to let them take root, and replacing them with Christ‑like responses. It calls us to align inner life and outward behaviour with the reality of being made new, so the gospel is not only believed but embodied.

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Jack Gutknecht Supporter Arizona Bible College & Dallas Seminary graduate, Pentair

In my opinion, I believe God gave the command to "put off" or "get rid of [your] anger, hot tempers, hatred, cursing, obscene language, and all similar sins" (Col 3:8) was at least twofold.

First, it grieves and quenches the Holy Spirit's work.

Ephesians 4:30 --'And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption." -- (grieving the Spirit): The Expositor's Greek Testament explains that the sins forbidden in the preceding verses are regarded as "grieving the Holy Spirit of God," implying "a personal relation to a Divine Person, capable of being 'grieved' by our transgressions". The Pulpit Commentary adds that when we disobey the Spirit, "His work in us is cut short".

1 Thessalonians 5:19 -- "Do not quench the Spirit." --(quenching the Spirit): The Adam Clarke Commentary states: "The Holy Spirit is represented as a fire... This Spirit is represented as being quenched when any act is done, word spoken, or temper indulged, contrary to its dictates. It is the Spirit of love, and therefore anger, malice, revenge, or any unkind or unholy temper, will quench it". Sam Storms further explains that "quench the Spirit" means "actively hindering the Spirit's work by extinguishing, suffocating, or ignoring His leading".

Second, it dulls spiritual discernment (Hebrews 5:12-13) -- "12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, 13 for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child." --

Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures comments on Hebrews 5:12-14 that the readers had "fallen back to that infantile age which requires milk, and have thus fallen into the danger of losing entirely their power of spiritual discrimination". A related devotional note observes that "spiritual immaturity squelches our powers of discernment". The Pulpit Commentary further explains that spiritual immaturity prevents believers from enjoying the "solid food" of deeper truth.

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