Colossians 3:5 – Deaden, Then

Originally posted on May 30, 2026 – by Andre Piet

Deaden, then, your members that are on the earth: prostitution, uncleanness, passion, evil desire and greed…

Paul has just said that our life is hidden with the Christ in God and that we shall soon be manifested with Him in glory. First he describes who we are and what awaits us. Only after that does he speak about the practical outworking of it. Therefore it now follows: “Deaden, then…”.

Most translations read here: “put to death, then, the members…” But Paul does not use the word for killing or putting to death. The Greek word occurs three times in the New Testament and elsewhere is consistently rendered with the idea of being deadened. Paul says: “deaden.” That is an important difference. How strange it would be if Paul first says to seek the things above and then would call us to actively enter the battle with “the members on the earth.” Then you are still mainly occupied with the earth and with yourself.

Deadening happens because something no longer receives nourishment. That is the thought here. “The members on the earth” should therefore not be fought, but precisely ignored. For whatever you give attention to, you strengthen, and it becomes larger. And hence: be disposed to that which is above.

Delen: