Colossians 3:23 (KJV)

Passage

And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;

Nearby Context

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

Colossians 3:22 Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God:

Colossians 3:23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;

Colossians 3:24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.

Colossians 3:25 But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "whatsoever", "heartily", and "lord". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "whatsoever" and "heartily", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 22's "Servants obey in all things your masters..." into verse 24's "Knowing that of the Lord ye shall...", so "whatsoever" and "heartily" 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 "whatsoever" and "heartily" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.