歌罗西书 4
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)
4 你们做主人的，对待奴仆要公平合理，别忘了你们也有一位天上的主。
勉励祷告
2 你们要以感恩和警醒的心恒切祷告。 3 要为我们祷告，求上帝为我们打开传道的门，好传扬基督的奥秘——我就是为此而被囚禁的。 4 也要求上帝使我能尽自己的本分把这奥秘讲清楚。
5 你们要把握时机，运用智慧和非信徒交往。 6 谈吐要温和、风趣[a]，知道该怎样回答每个人。
结语
7 有关我一切的事情，推基古会告诉你们。他是我亲爱的弟兄，是和我一同事奉主的忠仆。 8 我特意派他去见你们，好让你们知道我们的近况，并鼓励你们。 9 这次和他同行的还有另一位忠心的弟兄——亲爱的阿尼西谋，他是你们那里的人。他们会把这里的详细情形告诉你们。
问候
10 和我一同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，我嘱咐过你们，如果他去你们那里，你们要接待他。 11 耶数，又名犹士都，问候你们。受过割礼的犹太基督徒中，只有这三人和我一同为上帝的国工作，他们是我的安慰。 12 来自你们那里、做基督耶稣奴仆的以巴弗弟兄问候你们。他常常恳切地为你们祷告，好使你们信心坚定，生命成熟，深知上帝一切的旨意。 13 他为了你们以及老底嘉和希拉波立的弟兄姊妹而不辞劳苦，这是我可以作证的。 14 此外，亲爱的路加医生和底马也问候你们。 15 请代我问候在老底嘉的弟兄姊妹，也问候宁法姊妹和在她家里聚会的人。 16 你们当众宣读这封信后，也要交给老底嘉教会宣读，你们也要宣读老底嘉教会转给你们的信。 17 请告诉亚基布务要完成主交给他的工作。 18 我保罗亲笔问候你们。请你们不要忘记狱中的我。
愿上帝的恩典常与你们同在！
Footnotes
- 4:6 “风趣”希腊文是“用盐调和”。
歌 羅 西 書 4
Chinese New Testament: Easy-to-Read Version
4 主人要公平合理地对待奴隶，记住，你们在天堂也有一个主。
该做的事情
2 要坚持祈祷，要警觉，要怀着感恩的心情。 3 同时也要为我们祈祷，请上帝赐给我们传播信息 [a]的机会，宣传基督的奥秘。我是因传教而入狱的。 4 请祈祷吧，让我能把这奥秘向人们阐述清楚，这是我应该做的。
5 你们在与非基督徒来往时，要有智慧，要充分利用一切机会。 6 你们说话时，应该总是和蔼可亲，并且要总是迸发出智慧的火花，知道如何回答每个人提出的问题。
和保罗在一起的人的消息
7 我亲爱的兄弟推基古，在主内是忠诚的仆人并与我一同做奴仆。他会告诉你们我的情况。 8 我派他去你们那里就是为了这个目的：让你们知道我们的消息，并使你们受到鼓励。 9 我还派我们忠实和亲爱的兄弟阿尼西母和他一起去。他是从你们那里来的，他们会告诉你们这里发生的一切情况。
10 和我一起坐牢的亚里达古向你们问好。巴拿巴的表弟马可也问你们好。（关于马可，我已吩咐过你们了，如果他来拜访你们，一定要欢迎他。） 11 耶数，也叫犹士都，也问你们好。在犹太信徒中，只有这三位与我一同为宣传上帝的王国而工作。他们给了我极大的安慰。
12 从你们那里来的以巴弗，基督耶稣的仆人，也问你们好。他总是热切地为你们祈祷，请求上帝让你们的精神日渐成熟，并全力以赴地追求上帝的一切意愿。 13 我可以为他作证，他一直为你们、为老底嘉人和希拉波立人努力地工作着。 14 亲爱的医生路加和底马问候你们。
15 请向在老底嘉的兄弟们问好，问宁法和在她家的教会好。 16 你们读完这封信后，一定要把它宣读给老底嘉的教会。你们也应该读读我那封从老底嘉转给你们的信。 17 告诉亚基布∶“一定要完成你们在主内领受到的任务。”
18 我，保罗，亲笔写下对你们的问候。记住我还在监狱里。愿上帝的恩典与你们同在。
Footnotes
- 歌 羅 西 書 4:3 信息： 即福音，上帝使人们的罪得到宽恕并与上帝永远和好的途径。
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.
Colossians 4
Contemporary English Version
4 (A) Slave owners, be fair and honest with your slaves. Don't forget that you have a Master in heaven.
2 Never give up praying. And when you pray, keep alert and be thankful. 3 Be 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. 4 Please pray that I will make the message as clear as possible.
5 (B) When you are with unbelievers, always make good use of the time. 6 (C) Be 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
7 (D)(E) Tychicus is the dear friend, who faithfully works and serves the Lord with us, and he will give you the news about me. 8 I am sending him to cheer you up by telling you how we are getting along. 9 (F) Onesimus, the dear and faithful follower from your own group, is coming with him. The two of them will tell you everything that has happened here.
10 (G) Aristarchus 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. 11 Jesus, 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.
12 (H) Your 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. 13 I have seen how much trouble he has gone through for you and for the followers in Laodicea and Hierapolis.
14 (I) Our dear doctor Luke sends you his greetings, and so does Demas.
15 Give my greetings to the followers at Laodicea, especially to Nympha and the church that meets in her home.
16 After 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.[a]
17 (J) Remind Archippus to do the work that the Lord has given him to do.
18 I am signing this letter myself: PAUL.
Don't forget that I am in jail.
I pray that God will be kind to you.
Footnotes
- 4.16 the letter that I have sent to them: This is the only mention of the letter to the church at Laodicea.
Chinese Contemporary Bible Copyright © 1979, 2005, 2007, 2011 by Biblica® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
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