Colossians 3:20 (WEB)

Passage

Children, obey your parents in all things, for this pleases 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 don’t be bitter against them.

Colossians 3:20 Children, obey your parents in all things, for this pleases the Lord.

Colossians 3:21 Fathers, don’t provoke your children, so that they won’t be discouraged.

Colossians 3:22 Servants, obey in all things those who are your masters according to the flesh, not just when they are looking, as men pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing God.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "all things", "children", "obey", "parents", "pleases", 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 don t..." into verse 21's "Fathers don t provoke your children so...", 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.