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
Revised Standard Version
4 Masters, treat your slaves justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.
Further Instructions
2 Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving; 3 and pray for us also, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison, 4 that I may make it clear, as I ought to speak.
5 Conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time. 6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer every one.
Final Greetings and Benediction
7 Tych′icus will tell you all about my affairs; he is a beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord. 8 I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are and that he may encourage your hearts, 9 and with him Ones′imus, the faithful and beloved brother, who is one of yourselves. They will tell you of everything that has taken place here.
10 Aristar′chus my fellow prisoner greets you, and Mark the cousin of Barnabas (concerning whom you have received instructions—if he comes to you, receive him), 11 and Jesus who is called Justus. These are the only men of the circumcision among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me. 12 Ep′aphras, who is one of yourselves, a servant[a] of Christ Jesus, greets you, always remembering you earnestly in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God. 13 For I bear him witness that he has worked hard for you and for those in La-odice′a and in Hi-erap′olis. 14 Luke the beloved physician and Demas greet you. 15 Give my greetings to the brethren at La-odice′a, and to Nympha and the church in her house. 16 And when this letter has been read among you, have it read also in the church of the La-odice′ans; and see that you read also the letter from La-odice′a. 17 And say to Archip′pus, “See that you fulfil the ministry which you have received in the Lord.”
18 I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my fetters. Grace be with you.
Footnotes
- Colossians 4:12 Or slave
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1946, 1952, and 1971 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.