Colossians 4
New American Standard Bible
4 Masters, grant your slaves justice and fairness, (A)knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.
2 (B)Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving; 3 praying at the same time (C)for us as well, that God will open up to us a (D)door for (E)the word, so that we may proclaim (F)the mystery of Christ, for which I have also (G)been imprisoned; 4 that I may make it clear (H)in the way that I ought to proclaim it.
5 [a](I)Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward (J)outsiders, [b](K)making the most of the opportunity. 6 (L)Your speech must always be [c]with grace, as though seasoned with (M)salt, so that you will know how you should (N)respond to each person.
7 (O)As to all my affairs, (P)Tychicus, our (Q)beloved brother and faithful servant and fellow bond-servant in the Lord, will bring you information. 8 (R)For I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know about our circumstances and that he may (S)encourage your hearts; 9 [d]and with him is (T)Onesimus, our faithful and (U)beloved brother, (V)who is one of your own. They will inform you about the whole situation here.
10 (W)Aristarchus, my (X)fellow prisoner, sends you his greetings; and also (Y)Barnabas’ cousin Mark (about whom you received [e]instructions; (Z)if he comes to you, welcome him); 11 and also Jesus who is called Justus; these are the only (AA)fellow workers for the kingdom of God (AB)who are from the circumcision, and they have proved to be an encouragement to me. 12 (AC)Epaphras, (AD)who is one of your own, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, sends you his greetings, always (AE)striving earnestly for you in his prayers, that you may [f]stand [g](AF)mature and [h]fully assured in all the will of God. 13 For I testify for him that he has [i]a deep concern for you and for those who are in (AG)Laodicea and Hierapolis. 14 (AH)Luke, the beloved physician, sends you his greetings, and (AI)Demas does also. 15 Greet the brothers and sisters who are in (AJ)Laodicea and also [j]Nympha and (AK)the church that is in [k]her house. 16 (AL)When [l]this letter is read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and you, for your part, (AM)read [m]my letter that is coming from (AN)Laodicea. 17 Tell (AO)Archippus, “See to the (AP)ministry which you have received in the Lord, so that you may [n]fulfill it.”
18 [o]I, Paul, (AQ)write this greeting with my own hand. (AR)Remember my [p](AS)imprisonment. (AT)Grace be with you.
Footnotes
- Colossians 4:5 Lit Walk
- Colossians 4:5 Lit redeeming the time
- Colossians 4:6 Or gracious
- Colossians 4:9 Lit along with Onesimus
- Colossians 4:10 Or orders
- Colossians 4:12 Or stand firm
- Colossians 4:12 Or fully developed
- Colossians 4:12 Or made complete
- Colossians 4:13 Or much toil; or great pain
- Colossians 4:15 Or Nymphas (masc)
- Colossians 4:15 One early ms their
- Colossians 4:16 Lit the
- Colossians 4:16 Lit the
- Colossians 4:17 Or continually fulfill
- Colossians 4:18 Lit The greeting by my hand of Paul
- Colossians 4:18 Lit bonds
Colossians 4
The Voice
4 And to you masters: treat your slaves fairly and do what is right, knowing that you, too, have a Master in heaven.
Family life has changed since Paul’s day. Today, sociologists talk about modern families as “nuclear”: two parents with one or two children. In Colossae, as elsewhere in Paul’s world, families were extended by nature: they consisted of a husband, a wife, lots of children, servants, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and others. So when Paul addresses the family, he does not envision the modern version of it. He addresses the main family members: wives, husbands, children, fathers, and then slaves. The family reflects the order God desires in the church. Each member is to be responsible to the whole, and love and respect are to serve as the guiding principles within family relationships. Paul and Peter both use the term “submission” within family and church relationships as a description of order and support.
2 Pray, and keep praying. Be alert and thankful when you pray. 3 And while you are at it, add us to your prayers. Pray that God would open doors and windows and minds and eyes and hearts for the word so we can go on telling the mystery of the Anointed, for this is exactly why I am currently imprisoned. 4 Pray that I will proclaim this message clearly and fearlessly as I should.
5 Be wise when you engage with those outside the faith community; make the most of every moment and every encounter. 6 When you speak the word, speak it gracefully (as if seasoned with salt), so you will know how to respond to everyone rightly.
7-9 I am sending this letter by Tychicus and Onesimus, both dear brothers. Tychicus has been a faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord. He will update you on me and my[a] situation here, and he will no doubt be an encouragement to you. Onesimus is one of you; and he, too, has been faithful. You will get the whole story from them.
10 My cellmate Aristarchus sends his love, as does Mark, Barnabas’s cousin. (You’ve been sent instructions about him, so if he comes to you, welcome him.) 11 Jesus, also called Justus, also sends greetings. These are the only workers in God’s kingdom here who are of the circumcision, and they are a great comfort to me.
12 Epaphras, another one of your hometown fellows and a servant of Jesus the Anointed sends his regards and wants you to know how passionately and sincerely he speaks to the Lord about you. He prays for your spiritual journey, that you will continue to mature and stand tall in the kind of confidence that comes from knowing God’s will. 13 I can testify to his zeal for you and those in Laodicea and Hierapolis.
14 Luke, the beloved doctor, says hello; and so does Demas. 15 Send my well wishes to the brothers and sisters of Laodicea, especially Nympha and the church that meets in her house. 16 After this letter has been read among you, see that it is also read to the church of Laodicea, and make sure you publicly share the letter I am sending to them. 17 Tell Archippus, “Take care that you complete the service you received in the Lord.”
18 I, Paul, am signing this letter in my own hand. Remember that I am chained. Grace be with you all.
Footnotes
- 4:7-9 Some manuscripts read “so he may know about your.”
Colosenses 4
Nueva Biblia de las Américas
4 Amos, traten con justicia y equidad a sus siervos[a], sabiendo que ustedes también tienen un Señor[b] en el cielo(A).
Exhortaciones finales
2 Perseveren en[c] la oración(B), velando en ella con acción de gracias. 3 Oren al mismo tiempo también por nosotros, para que Dios nos abra una puerta(C) para la palabra(D), a fin de dar a conocer[d] el misterio de Cristo[e](E), por el cual también he sido encarcelado(F), 4 para manifestarlo como debo hacerlo[f](G). 5 Anden sabiamente(H) para con los de afuera(I), aprovechando bien[g] el tiempo(J). 6 Que su conversación sea siempre con gracia(K), sazonada como con sal(L), para que sepan cómo deben responder a cada persona(M).
Asuntos personales
7 (N)En cuanto a todos mis asuntos, les informará Tíquico(O), nuestro amado hermano(P), fiel ministro y consiervo en el Señor. 8 Porque precisamente para esto lo he enviado a ustedes, para que sepan de nuestras circunstancias y que conforte sus corazones(Q); 9 y con él a Onésimo[h](R), fiel y amado hermano(S), que es uno de ustedes(T). Ellos les informarán acerca de todo lo que aquí pasa.
Saludos
10 Aristarco(U), mi compañero de prisión(V), les envía saludos. También Marcos, el primo de Bernabé(W), (acerca del cual ustedes recibieron instrucciones[i]. Si va a verlos(X), recíbanlo bien). 11 También Jesús, llamado Justo. Estos son los únicos colaboradores(Y) conmigo en[j] el reino de Dios que son de la circuncisión(Z), y ellos[k] han resultado ser un estímulo para mí. 12 Epafras(AA), que es uno de ustedes(AB), siervo de Jesucristo, les envía saludos, siempre esforzándose intensamente a favor de ustedes en sus oraciones(AC), para que estén firmes, perfectos[l](AD) y completamente seguros[m] en toda la voluntad de Dios. 13 Porque de él soy testigo de que tiene profundo interés[n] por ustedes y por los que están en Laodicea(AE) y en Hierápolis. 14 Lucas(AF), el médico amado, les envía saludos, y también Demas(AG). 15 Saluden a los hermanos que están en Laodicea(AH), también a Ninfas y a la iglesia que está en su casa(AI).
16 Cuando esta[o] carta se haya leído entre ustedes, háganla leer también en la iglesia de los laodicenses. Ustedes, por su parte, lean la carta que viene de Laodicea(AJ). 17 Díganle a Arquipo(AK): «Cuida[p] el ministerio que has recibido del Señor, para que lo cumplas(AL)».
18 Yo, Pablo, escribo este saludo con mi propia mano[q](AM). Acuérdense(AN) de mis cadenas(AO). La gracia sea con ustedes(AP).
Footnotes
- Colosenses 4:1 O esclavos.
- Colosenses 4:1 O Amo.
- Colosenses 4:2 O Conságrense a.
- Colosenses 4:3 Lit. de hablar.
- Colosenses 4:3 I.e. el Mesías.
- Colosenses 4:4 Lit. hablar.
- Colosenses 4:5 Lit. redimiendo.
- Colosenses 4:9 Lit. junto con Onésimo.
- Colosenses 4:10 U órdenes.
- Colosenses 4:11 O por.
- Colosenses 4:11 Lit. los cuales.
- Colosenses 4:12 O maduros.
- Colosenses 4:12 O perfectos.
- Colosenses 4:13 O se toma mucho trabajo.
- Colosenses 4:16 Lit. la.
- Colosenses 4:17 O Mira.
- Colosenses 4:18 Lit. El saludo por mi mano, Pablo.
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