Note 22 at Col. 3:17: To God there is no division of the secular and the sacred. "Whatsoever ye do" encompasses all, including the words we speak and the life we live. In Greek "whatsoever you do" is in the present tense and conveys a continuous or habitual action. Therefore all things are to be done for God's glory, in Jesus' Name, with thankfulness (see note 23 at this verse).

Parallel passages to this verse are found in 1 Corinthians 10:31 and Colossians 3:23 (see Parallel Scriptures for this verse, above).

Note 23 at Col. 3:17: This is the second time that thanksgiving is mentioned in three verses. The peace of God mentioned in verse 15 cannot be separated from thankfulness. Peace comes as a result of where our attention is fixed (Isa. 26:3; Rom. 8:6) and thankfulness is acknowledging God's goodness.

In this verse, we cannot truly glorify God in all our words and deeds if we are not thankful. Thanksgiving makes us abound in faith (see note 25 at Col. 2:7, p. 1197). Every mature Christian is thankful and all immature Christians are not thankful. "Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God" (Ps. 50:23).