Colossians 3:19

3:19 Husbands, love your wives and do not be embittered against them.

Colossians 3:21

3:21 Fathers, ¹  do not provoke ²  your children, so they will not become disheartened.

Colossians 3:23

3:23 Whatever you are doing, ³  work at it with enthusiasm, ⁴  as to the Lord and not for people, ⁵ 

[3:21]  ¹ tn Or perhaps “Parents.” The plural οἱ πατέρες (Joi patere", “fathers”) can be used to refer to both the male and female parent (BDAG 786 s.v. πατήρ 1.a).

[3:21]  ² tn Or “do not cause your children to become resentful” (L&N 88.168). BDAG 391 s.v. ἐρεθίζω states, “to cause someone to react in a way that suggests acceptance of a challenge, arouse, provoke mostly in bad sense irritate, embitter.”

[3:23]  ¹ tn The present progressive “are doing” was used in the translation of ποιῆτε (poihte) to bring out the idea that Paul is probably referring to what they already do for work.

[3:23]  ² tn Grk “from the soul.”

[3:23]  ³ tn Grk “men”; here ἀνθρώποις (anqrwpoi") is used in a generic sense and refers to people in general.