Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Colossians 3:13

"forbearing one another, and forgiving each other, if any man have a complaint against any; even as the Lord forgave you, so also do ye:" — Colossians 3:13 (ASV)

Paul expands the idea of patience. Christians who are truly patient will willingly “bear with” (GK 462) those whose faults or unpleasant traits are an irritant to them, and they will “forgive” (GK 5919) those they have grievances against. “Forgive” is used in 2:13 of God’s action toward us and has the sense of forgiving freely.