Colossians 3:19
“Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Husbands are to love their wives and not be harsh or bitter toward them.
What Does Colossians 3:19 Mean?
Paul turns immediately to husbands, balancing the previous verse. Husbands, love your wives -- the call to the husband is love, an active, self-giving care for his wife's good rather than mere authority over her.
And he adds a pointed restraint: be not bitter against them. Love is to crowd out harshness, resentment, and the petty cruelty that can sour a marriage. In a world that often gave husbands unchecked power, Paul places them under the demand of love and forbids bitterness toward those entrusted to their care. The instruction protects the wife and dignifies the marriage. For the Colossians, this is the same love commanded throughout the chapter, now brought home to the most intimate relationship. A husband who loves and refuses bitterness reflects Christ's own tender care for his people, making the home a place where the gospel's love is daily practiced.