Font Size
Colossians 4
Contemporary English Version
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.
ΠΡΟΣ ΚΟΛΟΣΣΑΕΙΣ 4
1881 Westcott-Hort New Testament
ΠΡΟΣ ΚΟΛΟΣΣΑΕΙΣ 4
1881 Westcott-Hort New Testament
4 οι κυριοι το δικαιον και την ισοτητα τοις δουλοις παρεχεσθε ειδοτες οτι και υμεις εχετε κυριον εν ουρανω
2 τη προσευχη προσκαρτερειτε γρηγορουντες εν αυτη εν ευχαριστια
3 προσευχομενοι αμα και περι ημων ινα ο θεος ανοιξη ημιν θυραν του λογου λαλησαι το μυστηριον του χριστου δι ο και δεδεμαι
4 ινα φανερωσω αυτο ως δει με λαλησαι
5 εν σοφια περιπατειτε προς τους εξω τον καιρον εξαγοραζομενοι
6 ο λογος υμων παντοτε εν χαριτι αλατι ηρτυμενος ειδεναι πως δει υμας ενι εκαστω αποκρινεσθαι
7 τα κατ εμε παντα γνωρισει υμιν τυχικος ο αγαπητος αδελφος και πιστος διακονος και συνδουλος εν κυριω
8 ον επεμψα προς υμας εις αυτο τουτο ινα γνωτε τα περι ημων και παρακαλεση τας καρδιας υμων
9 συν ονησιμω τω πιστω και αγαπητω αδελφω ος εστιν εξ υμων παντα υμιν γνωρισουσιν τα ωδε
10 ασπαζεται υμας αρισταρχος ο συναιχμαλωτος μου και μαρκος ο ανεψιος βαρναβα περι ου ελαβετε εντολας εαν ελθη προς υμας δεξασθε αυτον
11 και ιησους ο λεγομενος ιουστος οι οντες εκ περιτομης ουτοι μονοι συνεργοι εις την βασιλειαν του θεου οιτινες εγενηθησαν μοι παρηγορια
12 ασπαζεται υμας επαφρας ο εξ υμων δουλος χριστου ιησου παντοτε αγωνιζομενος υπερ υμων εν ταις προσευχαις ινα σταθητε τελειοι και πεπληροφορημενοι εν παντι θεληματι του θεου
13 μαρτυρω γαρ αυτω οτι εχει πολυν πονον υπερ υμων και των εν λαοδικεια και των εν ιεραπολει
14 ασπαζεται υμας λουκας ο ιατρος ο αγαπητος και δημας
15 ασπασασθε τους εν λαοδικεια αδελφους και νυμφαν και την κατ οικον αυτης εκκλησιαν
16 και οταν αναγνωσθη παρ υμιν η επιστολη ποιησατε ινα και εν τη λαοδικεων εκκλησια αναγνωσθη και την εκ λαοδικειας ινα και υμεις αναγνωτε
17 και ειπατε αρχιππω βλεπε την διακονιαν ην παρελαβες εν κυριω ινα αυτην πληροις
18 ο ασπασμος τη εμη χειρι παυλου μνημονευετε μου των δεσμων η χαρις μεθ υμων
Colossians 4
New International Version
Colossians 4
New International Version
4 Masters, provide your slaves with what is right and fair,(A) because you know that you also have a Master in heaven.
Further Instructions
2 Devote yourselves to prayer,(B) being watchful and thankful. 3 And pray for us, too, that God may open a door(C) for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery(D) of Christ, for which I am in chains.(E) 4 Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. 5 Be wise(F) in the way you act toward outsiders;(G) make the most of every opportunity.(H) 6 Let your conversation be always full of grace,(I) seasoned with salt,(J) so that you may know how to answer everyone.(K)
Final Greetings
7 Tychicus(L) will tell you all the news about me. He is a dear brother, a faithful minister and fellow servant[a](M) in the Lord. 8 I am sending him to you for the express purpose that you may know about our[b] circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts.(N) 9 He is coming with Onesimus,(O) our faithful and dear brother, who is one of you.(P) They will tell you everything that is happening here.
10 My fellow prisoner Aristarchus(Q) sends you his greetings, as does Mark,(R) the cousin of Barnabas.(S) (You have received instructions about him; if he comes to you, welcome him.) 11 Jesus, who is called Justus, also sends greetings. These are the only Jews[c] among my co-workers(T) for the kingdom of God, and they have proved a comfort to me. 12 Epaphras,(U) who is one of you(V) and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you,(W) that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature(X) and fully assured. 13 I vouch for him that he is working hard for you and for those at Laodicea(Y) and Hierapolis. 14 Our dear friend Luke,(Z) the doctor, and Demas(AA) send greetings. 15 Give my greetings to the brothers and sisters at Laodicea,(AB) and to Nympha and the church in her house.(AC)
16 After this letter has been read to you, see that it is also read(AD) in the church of the Laodiceans and that you in turn read the letter from Laodicea.
17 Tell Archippus:(AE) “See to it that you complete the ministry you have received in the Lord.”(AF)
18 I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand.(AG) Remember(AH) my chains.(AI) Grace be with you.(AJ)
Footnotes
- Colossians 4:7 Or slave; also in verse 12
- Colossians 4:8 Some manuscripts that he may know about your
- Colossians 4:11 Greek only ones of the circumcision group
Colossians 4
Evangelical Heritage Version
Colossians 4
Evangelical Heritage Version
4 Masters, show justice and fairness to your slaves, because you know that you also have a Master in heaven.
Exhortations
2 Be persistent in prayer, and as you pray, be alert and thankful. 3 At the same time, pray for us too, that God might open a door for our message, so that we can tell the mystery about Christ, for which I am in prison. 4 Pray that I may make it known clearly, as it is necessary for me to speak. 5 Walk in wisdom in the way you act toward those on the outside, making the most of your opportunity.[a] 6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you know how you are to answer each person.
Final Greetings
7 Tychicus, my dear brother and faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord, will tell you everything about me. 8 I am sending him to you for this very reason, that you may know how we are,[b] and that he may comfort your hearts. 9 I am sending him along with Onesimus, our faithful and dear brother, who is one of you. They will tell you everything that is going on here.
10 Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, greets you, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. You received instructions about him. If he comes to you, welcome him. 11 Jesus, who is called Justus, also greets you. These are my only fellow workers for the kingdom of God who are circumcised,[c] and who have been a source of comfort to me. 12 Epaphras greets you. He is one of you and is a servant of Christ.[d] He is always struggling in prayer for you, praying that you may stand complete and fully assured in all the will of God. 13 Indeed, I can testify about him that he has worked very hard in your place, in the place of those in Laodicea, and in the place of those in Hierapolis. 14 Luke, the dearly loved doctor, greets you, as does Demas.
15 Greet the brothers in Laodicea. Greet Nympha and the church at her[e] house. 16 When this letter has been read among you, make sure that it is also read in the church of the Laodiceans. And make sure that you also read the letter from Laodicea. 17 Tell Archippus, “See to it that you fulfill the ministry that you received in the Lord.”
18 This greeting is written by me, Paul, with my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you. Amen.[f]
Footnotes
- Colossians 4:5 Or redeeming the time
- Colossians 4:8 Some witnesses to the text read so that he may know how you are.
- Colossians 4:11 These were Jewish believers.
- Colossians 4:12 Some witnesses to the text add Jesus.
- Colossians 4:15 Some witnesses to the text read his.
- Colossians 4:18 Some witnesses to the text omit Amen.
Contemporary English Version (CEV) 
Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society For more information about CEV, visit www.bibles.com and www.cev.bible.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
Evangelical Heritage Version (EHV)
The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.