Colossians 3:20 (ASV)

Passage

Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing in the Lord.

Nearby Context

Colossians 3:18 Wives, be in subjection to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.

Colossians 3:19 Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.

Colossians 3:20 Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing in the Lord.

Colossians 3:21 Fathers, provoke not your children, that they be not discouraged.

Colossians 3:22 Servants, obey in all things them that are your masters according to the flesh; not with eye-service, as men-pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing the Lord:

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "all things", "children", "obey", "parents", "well-pleasing", and "lord". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "all things" and "children", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 19's "Husbands love your wives and be not..." into verse 21's "Fathers provoke not your children that they...", so "all things" and "children" belong inside that flow. In Colossians context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "all things" and "children" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.