歌罗西书 4
Chinese Standard Bible (Simplified)
4 你们做主人的，要公正、公平地对待奴仆，因为你们知道，你们也有一位主人在天上。
信末的教导
2 你们要恒切祷告，祷告中要保持警醒，怀着感谢的心。 3 同时也要为我们祷告：愿神给我们开福音[a]的门，使我们能传讲基督的奥秘——我也是为此被捆锁的， 4 愿我能照着所当说的，把这奥秘显明出来。 5 你们要把握机会[b]，对外面的人靠智慧行事。 6 你们的话语总要带着恩惠，像用盐调和过的，好使你们知道该怎样回答每一个人。
最后的问安
7 有关我的一切事，特其库斯会让你们明白。他是蒙爱的弟兄、忠心的仆人[c]，是在主里同做奴仆[d]的。 8 我正是为此派他到你们那里去，好让你们知道有关我们的事[e]，并且让他安慰你们的心。 9 与他一起去的奥尼斯莫，是一位忠心、蒙爱的弟兄，是你们那里的人。他们会把这里的一切情况都让你们明白。
10 与我一起坐牢的亚里达古问候你们。巴拿巴的表弟马可也问候你们。关于马可，你们已经领受了指示：如果他到你们那里去，你们要接受他。 11 称为犹斯托的耶数也问候你们。在割礼派的人[f]中，只有这几个人是为了神的国与我同工的；他们也成了我的安慰。 12 以帕弗拉问候你们；他来自你们那里，是基督耶稣的奴仆；他在祷告中，总是为你们竭力祈求[g]：愿你们成熟、站立得住，在神的一切旨意中确信不疑[h]； 13 其实我可以为他见证：他为了你们和那些在劳迪西亚和希拉波利斯的人，多受劳苦[i]。 14 蒙爱的医生路加和迪马斯问候你们。 15 请问候在劳迪西亚的弟兄们，还有宁法以及在她[j]家里的教会。 16 这封书信在你们那里宣读了以后，也一定要在劳迪西亚的教会中宣读；你们也要宣读从劳迪西亚转来的书信。 17 请你们告诉阿其波斯：“在主里所领受的服事工作，要留心把它完成。”
18 我保罗亲笔问候：请你们记住我所受的捆锁。愿恩典与你们同在！[k]
Footnotes
Colossians 4
New King James Version
Christian Graces; Final Greetings
4 Masters,(A) give your bondservants what is just and fair, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.
Christian Graces
2 (B)Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it (C)with thanksgiving; 3 (D)meanwhile praying also for us, that God would (E)open to us a door for the word, to speak (F)the [a]mystery of Christ, (G)for which I am also in chains, 4 that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.
5 (H)Walk in (I)wisdom toward those who are outside, (J)redeeming the time. 6 Let your speech always be (K)with grace, (L)seasoned with salt, (M)that you may know how you ought to answer each one.
Final Greetings(N)
7 (O)Tychicus, a beloved brother, faithful minister, and fellow servant in the Lord, will tell you all the news about me. 8 (P)I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that [b]he may know your circumstances and comfort your hearts, 9 with (Q)Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will make known to you all things which are happening here.
10 (R)Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, with (S)Mark the cousin of Barnabas (about whom you received instructions: if he comes to you, welcome him), 11 and Jesus who is called Justus. These are my only fellow workers for the kingdom of God who are of the circumcision; they have proved to be a comfort to me.
12 (T)Epaphras, who is one of you, a bondservant of Christ, greets you, always (U)laboring fervently for you in prayers, that you may stand (V)perfect and [c]complete in all the will of God. 13 For I bear him witness that he has a great [d]zeal for you, and those who are in Laodicea, and those in Hierapolis. 14 (W)Luke the beloved physician and (X)Demas greet you. 15 Greet the brethren who are in Laodicea, and [e]Nymphas and (Y)the church that is in [f]his house.
Closing Exhortations and Blessing
16 Now when (Z)this epistle is read among you, see that it is read also in the church of the Laodiceans, and that you likewise read the epistle from Laodicea. 17 And say to (AA)Archippus, “Take heed to (AB)the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it.”
18 (AC)This salutation by my own hand—Paul. (AD)Remember my chains. Grace be with you. Amen.
Footnotes
- Colossians 4:3 hidden truth
- Colossians 4:8 NU you may know our circumstances and he may comfort
- Colossians 4:12 NU fully assured
- Colossians 4:13 NU concern
- Colossians 4:15 NU Nympha
- Colossians 4:15 NU her
Colossians 4
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Chapter 4
1 Masters, treat your slaves justly and fairly, realizing that you too have a Master in heaven.
Prayer and Apostolic Spirit. 2 Persevere in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving;(A) 3 at the same time, pray for us, too, that God may open a door to us for the word, to speak of the mystery of Christ, for which I am in prison,(B) 4 that I may make it clear, as I must speak. 5 Conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity.(C) 6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you know how you should respond to each one.
V. Conclusion[a]
Tychicus and Onesimus. 7 Tychicus,[b] my beloved brother, trustworthy minister, and fellow slave in the Lord, will tell you all the news of me.(D) 8 I am sending him to you for this very purpose, so that you may know about us and that he may encourage your hearts, 9 together with Onesimus, a trustworthy and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you about everything here.(E)
From Paul’s Co-Workers. 10 Aristarchus,[c] my fellow prisoner, sends you greetings, as does Mark the cousin of Barnabas (concerning whom you have received instructions; if he comes to you, receive him),(F) 11 and Jesus,[d] who is called Justus, who are of the circumcision; these alone are my co-workers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me. 12 Epaphras[e] sends you greetings; he is one of you, a slave of Christ [Jesus], always striving for you in his prayers so that you may be perfect and fully assured in all the will of God.(G) 13 For I can testify that he works very hard for you and for those in Laodicea[f] and those in Hierapolis. 14 Luke[g] the beloved physician sends greetings, as does Demas.(H)
A Message for the Laodiceans. 15 Give greetings to the brothers in Laodicea and to Nympha and to the church in her house.[h] 16 And when this letter is read before you, have it read also in the church of the Laodiceans, and you yourselves read the one from Laodicea.[i] 17 And tell Archippus, “See that you fulfill the ministry[j] that you received in the Lord.”(I)
18 The greeting is in my own hand,[k] Paul’s. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.(J)
Footnotes
- 4:7–18 Paul concludes with greetings and information concerning various Christians known to the Colossians.
- 4:7 Tychicus: Acts 20:4 mentions his role in the collection for Jerusalem; Eph 6:21 repeats what is said here; see also 2 Tm 4:12; Ti 3:12.
- 4:10 Aristarchus: a Thessalonian who was with Paul at Ephesus and Caesarea and on the voyage to Rome (Acts 19:29; 20:4; 27:2). Mark: also referred to at Phlm 24 and 2 Tm 4:11 and, as “John Mark,” in Acts (Acts 12:12, 25; 13:13; 15:37–40). See also 1 Pt 5:13 and the note there. Traditionally the author of the second gospel.
- 4:11 Jesus: a then common Jewish name, the Greek form of Joshua.
- 4:12 Epaphras: see notes on Col 1:3–8 and Col 1:7.
- 4:13 Laodicea: see note on Col 2:1. Hierapolis: a city northeast of Laodicea and northwest of Colossae.
- 4:14 Luke: only here described as a medical doctor; cf. Phlm 24 and 2 Tm 4:11. Traditionally the author of the third gospel. Demas: cf. Phlm 24; he later deserted Paul (2 Tm 4:10).
- 4:15 Nympha and…her house: some manuscripts read a masculine for the house-church leader, “Nymphas and…his house.”
- 4:16 The one from Laodicea: either a letter by Paul that has been lost or the Letter to the Ephesians (cf. note on Eph 1:1 in Ephesus).
- 4:17 Fulfill the ministry: usually taken to mean that Archippus, the son of Philemon and Apphia (Phlm 1–2), is “pastor” at Colossae. An alternate interpretation is that Archippus, not Philemon, is the owner of the slave Onesimus and that Paul is asking Archippus to complete the service he has received in the Lord by sending Onesimus back to minister to Paul in his captivity (cf. Phlm 20).
- 4:18 My own hand: a postscript in Paul’s own hand was his custom; cf. Gal 6:11–18 and 2 Thes 3:17–18.
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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