Colossians 3:7-11 Meaning: The New Self in Christ
7You also once walked in those, when you lived in them,
8but now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and shameful speaking out of your mouth.
9Don’t lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old man with his doings,
10and have put on the new man, who is being renewed in knowledge after the image of his Creator,
11where there can’t be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bondservant, or free person; but Christ is all, and in all.
7In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.
8But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
9Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;
10And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
11Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.
7wherein ye also once walked, when ye lived in these things;
8but now do ye also put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, railing, shameful speaking out of your mouth:
9lie not one to another; seeing that ye have put off the old man with his doings,
10and have put on the new man, that is being renewed unto knowledge after the image of him that created him:
11where there cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bondman, freeman; but Christ is all, and in all.
7in which also ye--ye did walk once, when ye lived in them;
8but now put off, even ye, the whole--anger, wrath, malice, evil-speaking, filthy talking--out of your mouth.
9Lie not one to another, having put off the old man with his practices,
10and having put on the new, which is renewed in regard to knowledge, after the image of Him who did create him;
11where there is not Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, foreigner, Scythian, servant, freeman--but the all and in all--Christ.
7In which ye also once walked when ye lived in these things.
8But now, put off, ye also, all [these] things, wrath, anger, malice, blasphemy, vile language out of your mouth.
9Do not lie to one another, having put off the old man with his deeds,
10and having put on the new, renewed into full knowledge according to [the] image of him that has created him;
11wherein there is not Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bondman, freeman; but Christ [is] everything, and in all.
Meaning in one sentence
What does Colossians 3:7-11 mean? Understand Paul’s call to put off sin and put on a new identity that unites all people in Christ.
Context
Paul writes to a church in Colossae that is being pulled by false teachings. After laying out the greatness of Christ in chapter 1, he spends chapter 3 showing how that truth changes daily life. Verses 1, 4 declare that believers have died and been raised with Christ. Then verses 5, 6 list sins of the flesh that must be killed. Our passage picks up there. Paul reminds the Colossians that they once walked in those sins, it was the only life they knew. But now, because they belong to Christ, they have put off the old self and put on a new one. This new self is being constantly renewed in the image of its Creator. And that renewal does something remarkable: it erases every human division.
Key Words
Two Greek verbs form the backbone of this passage. The first is peripateō (walked) in verse 7. It describes your everyday direction, the path you follow without thinking. The second is zaō (lived). It speaks to the inner life, what you breathe and hunger for. When Paul says “when you lived in them,” he means those sins were the very air you breathed. Walking in them was automatic.
Then come two pairs of action verbs. Apothesthe (put off) and apekdusamenoi (having put off) picture stripping away a garment with loathing, as you would shake out a dirty coat. Endusamenoi (having put on) is the fresh, clean garment you pull on deliberately. This is not passive: you choose the new clothes.
And the new self is anakainoumenon (being renewed), present tense, an ongoing process. That renewal moves eis epignōsin, into deep, personal knowledge of God. This is the knowledge Adam had in Eden before the fall, face to face with the Creator. Being remade after his image means you begin to reflect him again.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians across traditions read this passage with different emphases. John Calvin saw the “knowledge” in verse 10 as more than information, for him it is the vital illumination of the Holy Spirit, which creates actual holiness in the believer, not just mental agreement. The Cambridge Bible (an Anglican commentary) connects the “new man” directly to Christ as the “Second Man”, the whole company of believers joined to him, so that our new identity is corporate as well as personal. Matthew Henry, the Puritan pastor, stresses the duty side: we must actively put off anger, malice, and filthy speech because the old nature is stubborn and will cling to us. All three readings agree that the change is real and demands our response, but they highlight different parts of the picture.
A common misunderstanding
Some readers hear “put off the old man” and think it means their sinful nature is completely gone, like a snake shedding its skin forever. In fact, Paul uses a present tense verb in verse 10: the new man “is being renewed.” This is ongoing. You do decisively die with Christ, but the outworking happens each day as you choose to set aside anger, lies, and foul language. The old patterns still whisper, but you learn to say no and put on the character of Christ instead.
Living This Out
This week, pick one sin from Paul’s list that shows up in your life. Maybe it is a quick burst of anger when you are stuck in traffic, or a “small” lie you tell to avoid an awkward conversation. Notice it when it surfaces. Then practice the new man: take a breath before you speak, tell the truth even when it costs something, or simply refuse to say the sharp word. At the same time, look for someone who feels like an outsider in your church or workplace. Remember that in Christ there is no Greek or Jew, bond or free. Greet them warmly. The new self grows stronger each time you act like it.
Main takeaway: Your identity in Christ means you have died to your old life and are daily being remade in the image of your Creator, where no human division holds power.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
When your clothes get dirty, you take them off and put on clean ones. Paul says to do the same with bad things like yelling or lying. Put on good things like being nice and telling the truth. That’s what it means to have a new self.
For ages 9, 12
Paul talks about the old you and the new you. When you trust Jesus, you become a new person. But old habits don’t disappear overnight. Every day you choose to leave behind things like anger, gossip, and dishonesty. Your new self is like a fresh start that keeps getting better as you learn more about God. And here’s a big deal: in God’s family, it doesn’t matter if you’re from a different country or culture. Jesus brings everyone together.
Questions People Ask
What does it mean to "put off the old man" in Colossians 3:9?
Paul uses the image of taking off worn-out, dirty clothes. The 'old man' is your former way of life before knowing Christ, the pattern of sin that felt natural. Putting it off means deliberately renouncing that identity and the sinful behaviors that came with it, because in Christ you are no longer that person.
What is the "new man" being renewed in knowledge?
The new man is your new identity in Christ, created to be like God in true righteousness. The Greek word for 'new' here (neos) suggests something freshly begun. This new self is being continually renewed (anakainoumenon) in 'epignōsis', a deep, personal knowledge of God. This renewal restores the image of God in you, the image you were created to bear from the beginning.
Does "Christ is all and in all" mean everyone will be saved?
No. This phrase is about the church, not universal salvation. Paul is saying that within the community of believers, the new creation, ethnic, religious, cultural, and social distinctions lose their power. Christ alone defines who you are. He is the sum of everything that matters, and he lives in every believer, making them one family.
Why does Paul include anger, wrath, and slander in the same list as sexual sins?
Paul is showing that the old life is not just about obvious physical sins. Words and attitudes like anger, malice, and slander are equally part of the 'old man' that must be put off. They destroy relationships and reflect a heart that is still self-centered rather than Christ-centered. The new self is marked by compassion, kindness, humility, and forgiveness (Colossians 3:12-14).
For pastors & researchers
Greek interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study