Colossians 4
4
1Slave owners, be fair and honest with your slaves. Don't forget that you have a Master in heaven.#Eph 6.9.
2Never give up praying. And when you pray, keep alert and be thankful. 3Be sure to pray that God will make a way for us to spread his message and explain the mystery about Christ, even though I am in jail for doing this. 4Please pray that I will make the message as clear as possible.
5When you are with unbelievers, always make good use of the time.#Eph 5.16. 6Be pleasant and hold their interest when you speak the message. Choose your words carefully and be ready to give answers to anyone who asks questions.
Final greetings
7Tychicus is the dear friend, who faithfully works and serves the Lord with us, and he will give you the news about me.#Ac 20.4; 2 Ti 4.12.#Eph 6.21,22. 8I am sending him to cheer you up by telling you how we are getting along. 9Onesimus, that dear and faithful follower from your own group, is coming with him. The two of them will tell you everything that has happened here.#Phm 10-12.
10Aristarchus is in jail with me. He sends greetings to you, and so does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. You have already been told to welcome Mark, if he visits you.#Ac 19.29; 27.2; Phm 24; Ac 12.12,25; 13.13; 15.37-39. 11Jesus, who is known as Justus, sends his greetings. These three men are the only Jewish followers who have worked with me for the kingdom of God. They have given me much comfort.
12Your own Epaphras, who serves Christ Jesus, sends his greetings. He always prays hard that you may fully know what the Lord wants you to do and that you may do it completely.#Col 1.7; Phm 23. 13I have seen how much trouble he has gone through for you and for the followers in Laodicea and Hierapolis.
14Our dear doctor Luke sends you his greetings, and so does Demas.#2 Ti 4.11; Phm 24; 2 Ti 4.10; Phm 24.
15Give my greetings to the followers at Laodicea, especially to Nympha and the church that meets in her home.
16After this letter has been read to your people, be sure to have it read in the church at Laodicea. And you should read the letter that I have sent to them.#4.16 the letter that I have sent to them: This is the only mention of the letter to the church at Laodicea.
17Remind Archippus to do the work that the Lord has given him to do.#Phm 2.
18I am signing this letter myself: PAUL.
Don't forget that I am in jail.
I pray that God will be kind to you.
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© British and Foreign Bible Society 2012
Colossians 4
4
1Masters, be just and fair to your slaves, knowing that you yourselves have a master in heaven.
2Keep on praying and guard your prayers with thanksgiving. 3At the same time, pray for us also. Pray that God would open a door for the word so we can preach the secret plan#4.3 Or mystery of Christ—which is why I’m in chains. 4Pray that I might be able to make it as clear as I ought to when I preach. 5Act wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. 6Your speech should always be gracious and sprinkled with insight so that you may know how to respond to every person.
Final greeting
7Tychicus, our dearly loved brother, faithful minister, and fellow slave in the Lord, will inform you about everything that has happened to me. 8This is why I sent him to you, so that you’ll know all about us and so he can encourage your hearts. 9I sent him with Onesimus, our faithful and dearly loved brother, who is one of you. They will let you know about everything here.
10Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, says hello to you. So does Mark, Barnabas’ cousin (you received instructions about him; if he comes to you, welcome him). 11Jesus, called Justus, also says hello. These are my only fellow workers for God’s kingdom who are Jewish converts. They have been an encouragement to me. 12Epaphras, who is one of you, says hello. He’s a slave of Christ Jesus who always wrestles for you in prayers so that you will stand firm and be fully mature and complete in the entire will of God. 13I can vouch for him that he has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea and Hierapolis. 14Luke, the dearly loved physician, and Demas say hello.
15Say hello to the brothers and sisters in Laodicea, along with Nympha and the church that meets in her house. 16After this letter has been read to you publicly, make sure that the church in Laodicea reads it and that you read the one from Laodicea. 17And tell Archippus, “See to it that you complete the ministry that you received in the Lord.”
18I, Paul, am writing this greeting personally. Remember that I’m in prison. Grace be with you.
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