3:13

Continue putting up with one another: Paul here urges the Christians in Colossae to be patient, tolerating other people’s shortcomings and traits that they find irritating. At 1Co 4:12, the same Greek verb has been rendered “patiently endure.” Because all Christians are imperfect and make mistakes (Jas 3:2), there is a need to be reasonable about what to expect of others (Php 4:5).

even if anyone has a cause for complaint against another: Paul acknowledges that some of the Colossians may at times have given their fellow Christians a legitimate “cause for complaint.” Perhaps they occasionally failed to show some Christian quality or caused hurt feelings over real or supposed wrongs. Even in those situations, Christians try to imitate Jehovah and forgive freely.​—Mt 5:23, 24; 18:21-35; Eph 4:32; 1Pe 4:8.

Just as Jehovah freely forgave you: The Bible often mentions that Jehovah God forgives the sins of humans. (Nu 14:19, 20; 2Sa 12:13; Ps 130:4; Da 9:9) He is even described as being “ready to forgive” (Ne 9:17; Ps 86:5) and as one who “will forgive in a large way [or, “freely,” ftn.]” (Isa 55:7). The Greek verb for “freely forgave” that Paul uses here is not the usual word rendered “forgive,” as found at Mt 6:12, 14 or Ro 4:7 (see study note). Rather, it is a verb that is related to the Greek word khaʹris, often rendered “undeserved kindness” or “favor.” When used in the sense of forgiving, this verb conveys the idea of doing so freely, generously, as when someone gives a gift to another. Paul uses the same term at Col 2:13, saying that “God . . . kindly forgave us all our trespasses.”​—Eph 4:32; for the use of the divine name here, see App. C3 introduction; Col 3:13.