Colossians 4
New Living Translation
4 Masters, be just and fair to your slaves. Remember that you also have a Master—in heaven.
An Encouragement for Prayer
2 Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart. 3 Pray for us, too, that God will give us many opportunities to speak about his mysterious plan concerning Christ. That is why I am here in chains. 4 Pray that I will proclaim this message as clearly as I should.
5 Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. 6 Let your conversation be gracious and attractive[a] so that you will have the right response for everyone.
Paul’s Final Instructions and Greetings
7 Tychicus will give you a full report about how I am getting along. He is a beloved brother and faithful helper who serves with me in the Lord’s work. 8 I have sent him to you for this very purpose—to let you know how we are doing and to encourage you. 9 I am also sending Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, one of your own people. He and Tychicus will tell you everything that’s happening here.
10 Aristarchus, who is in prison with me, sends you his greetings, and so does Mark, Barnabas’s cousin. As you were instructed before, make Mark welcome if he comes your way. 11 Jesus (the one we call Justus) also sends his greetings. These are the only Jewish believers among my co-workers; they are working with me here for the Kingdom of God. And what a comfort they have been!
12 Epaphras, a member of your own fellowship and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends you his greetings. He always prays earnestly for you, asking God to make you strong and perfect, fully confident that you are following the whole will of God. 13 I can assure you that he prays hard for you and also for the believers in Laodicea and Hierapolis.
14 Luke, the beloved doctor, sends his greetings, and so does Demas. 15 Please give my greetings to our brothers and sisters[b] at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church that meets in her house.
16 After you have read this letter, pass it on to the church at Laodicea so they can read it, too. And you should read the letter I wrote to them.
17 And say to Archippus, “Be sure to carry out the ministry the Lord gave you.”
18 HERE IS MY GREETING IN MY OWN HANDWRITING—PAUL.
Remember my chains.
May God’s grace be with you.
Colossians 4
1599 Geneva Bible
4 2 He returneth to general exhortations, 3 touching prayer and gracious speech, 7and so endeth with greetings and commendations.
1 Ye masters, do unto your servants, that which is just and equal, knowing that ye also have a master in heaven.
2 (A)[a][b]Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving,
3 (B)[c]Praying also for us, that God may open unto us the [d]door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ: wherefore I am also in bonds,
4 That I may utter it, as it becometh me to speak.
5 ¶ (C)[e]Walk [f]wisely toward them that are without, and redeem the [g]season.
6 [h]Let your speech be [i]gracious always, and powdered with [j]salt, that ye may know how to answer every man.
7 ¶ Tychicus our beloved brother and faithful minister, and fellow servant in the Lord, shall declare unto you my whole state:
8 Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose that he might know your state, and might comfort your hearts,
9 With Onesimus a faithful and a beloved brother, who is one of you. They shall show you of all things here.
10 Aristarchus my prison fellow saluteth you, and Marcus, Barnabas’s cousin (touching whom ye received commandments: If he come unto you, receive him.)
11 And Jesus which is called Justus, which are of the circumcision. These [k]only are my work-fellows unto the [l]kingdom of God, which have been unto my consolation.
12 Epaphras the servant of Christ, which is one of you, saluteth you, and always striveth for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect, and full in all the will of God.
13 For I bear him record, that he hath a great zeal for you, and for them of Laodicea, and them of Hierapolis,
14 (D)Luke the beloved physician greeteth you, and Demas.
15 Salute the brethren which are of Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the Church which is in his house.
16 And when this Epistle is read of you, cause that it be read in the Church of the Laodiceans also, and that ye likewise read the Epistle written from Laodicea,
17 And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry, that thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfill it.
18 The salutation by the hand of me Paul. Remember my bands. Grace be with you, Amen.
¶ Written from Rome to the Colossians, and sent by Tychicus, and Onesimus.
Footnotes
- Colossians 4:2 He addeth certain general exhortations and at length endeth his Epistle with divers familiar and godly salutations.
- Colossians 4:2 Prayers must be continual and earnest.
- Colossians 4:3 Such as minister the word, must especially be commended to the prayers of the Church.
- Colossians 4:3 An open and free mouth to preach the Gospel.
- Colossians 4:5 In all parts of our life, we ought to have good consideration even of them which are without the Church.
- Colossians 4:5 Advisedly and circumspectly.
- Colossians 4:5 Seek occasion to win them, although you lose of your own by it.
- Colossians 4:6 Our speech and talk must be applied to the profit of the hearers.
- Colossians 4:6 Framed to the profit of your neighbor.
- Colossians 4:6 Against this is set filthy communication, as Eph. 4:29.
- Colossians 4:11 Why then, Peter was not at that time at Rome.
- Colossians 4:11 In the Gospel.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.
