Colossians 4
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 4
1 Masters, be just and fair in your treatment of your slaves, knowing that you too have a Master in heaven.
Assiduous Prayer.[a] 2 Persevere in prayer, with alert minds and thankful hearts. 3 At the same time, pray for us too, so that God may open a door to us to proclaim the word, the mystery of Christ, for which I am in prison. 4 Pray that I may proclaim it as clearly as I should.
Christian Behavior.[b] 5 Conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders, making the most of your opportunity. 6 Let your speech always be gracious and seasoned with wisdom, so that you will know how to respond properly to all.
Conclusion
Tychicus and Onesimus.[c] 7 Tychicus will tell you all the news about me. He is a beloved brother, a faithful minister, and a fellow servant in the Lord. 8 I am sending him to you for this very purpose, so that you will know how we are and that he may cheer your hearts. 9 He will be accompanied by Onesimus, our trustworthy and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you about everything that has happened here.
10 Paul’s Coworkers. Aristarchus,[d] my fellow prisoner, sends you his greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. (You have received instructions about him; if he comes to you, make him welcome.) 11 And Jesus who is called Justus also greets you. Of all those who are of the circumcision, these are the only ones who are working with me for the kingdom of God, and they have been a great comfort to me.
12 Epaphras sends you greetings. He is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, and he is always pleading earnestly in his prayers on your behalf so that you may seek perfection and fulfill the will of God. 13 I can testify for him that he has worked tirelessly for you and those in Laodicea and Hierapolis.[e] 14 Luke,[f] the beloved physician, and Demas send you greetings.
15 Notes for the Laodiceans. Give my greetings to the brethren in Laodicea, and to Nymphas[g] and the Church in her house. 16 Then when this letter has been read to you, see to it that it is also read to the Church at Laodicea; and I ask you in turn to read my letter that is coming from Laodicea. 17 Also tell Archippus:[h] “See that you carry out fully the ministry that you received in the Lord.”
18 Paul’s Signature.[i] I, Paul, write this farewell in my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.
Footnotes
- Colossians 4:2 Prayer keeps the conscience watchful and revives the concern for the apostolate.
- Colossians 4:5 The behavior of Christians must serve as a sign to those who do not share their faith. The present period is the time of the Church, which must be regarded as a final time of grace, both short (see 1 Cor 7:29) and perilous (see Eph 5:16), in which human beings can open themselves to salvation while waiting for Christ’s Second Coming (see Gal 6:10).
- Colossians 4:7 Tychicus is assigned to carry the Letter to the Colossians. Onesimus, his companion, is the slave whom Paul has converted and is now sending back to Colossae, while recommending him to his former owner (Letter to Philemon). Also named are Mark, who was for a short time Paul’s associate in the apostolate and is generally regarded as the author of the Second Gospel; then Luke, to whom we owe the Third Gospel and the Book of Acts; and finally Epaphras, founder of the Church of Colossae. The Letter to the Laodiceans (v. 16) may be the Letter to the Ephesians, which probably circulated in the communities of the region.
- Colossians 4:10 Aristarchus: a native of Thessalonica and companion of Paul at Ephesus and on the journey to Macedonia (see Acts 19:29; 20:4).
- Colossians 4:13 Hierapolis: a town six miles from Laodicea and 14 miles from Colossae. Its Church may have been founded during Paul’s stay at Ephesus (Acts 19) but probably not by Paul himself (see Col 2:1).
- Colossians 4:14 Luke: this is the only place where the author of the Third Gospel is described as a medical doctor; see Philem 24 and 2 Tim 4:11. Demas: a Christian who later deserted Paul (2 Tim 4:10).
- Colossians 4:15 Nymphas: probably a Laodicean in whose house Christians met for church services. The early Church had no buildings of its own and so Christians were accustomed to meeting at the homes of individuals for instruction and services, e.g., Prisca and Aquila (Rom 16:5; 1 Cor 16:19), Philemon (Philem 2), and Mary the mother of John Mark (Acts 12:12).
- Colossians 4:17 Archippus: perhaps the son of Philemon (Philem 2); he was to take care of the Church of Colossae in the absence of Epaphras.
- Colossians 4:18 Paul ordinarily dictated his Letters, but added to them a few words in his own hand (1 Cor 16:21; Gal 6:11; 2 Thes 3:17).
Colossians 4
Easy-to-Read Version
4 Masters, give what is good and fair to your servants. Remember that you have a Master in heaven.
Some Things to Do
2 Never stop praying. Be ready for anything by praying and being thankful. 3 Also pray for us. Pray that God will give us an opportunity to tell people his message. I am in prison for doing this. But pray that we can continue to tell people the secret truth that God has made known about Christ. 4 Pray that I will say what is necessary to make this truth clear to everyone.
5 Be wise in the way you act with those who are not believers. Use your time in the best way you can. 6 When you talk, you should always be kind and wise. Then you will be able to answer everyone in the way you should.
News About Those With Paul
7 Tychicus is my dear brother in Christ. He is a faithful helper and he serves the Lord with me. He will tell you everything that is happening with me. 8 That is why I am sending him. I want you to know how we are, and I am sending him to encourage you. 9 I am sending him with Onesimus, the faithful and dear brother from your group. They will tell you everything that has happened here.
10 Aristarchus, the one here in prison with me, sends you his greetings. Mark, the cousin of Barnabas, also sends his greetings. (I have already told you what to do about Mark. If he comes, welcome him.) 11 And greetings from Jesus, the one who is also called Justus. These are the only Jewish believers who work with me for God’s kingdom. They have been a great comfort to me.
12 Epaphras, another servant of Jesus Christ from your group, sends his greetings. He constantly struggles for you in prayer. He prays that you will grow to be spiritually mature and have everything that God wants for you. 13 I know that he has worked hard for you and the people in Laodicea and in Hierapolis. 14 Greetings also from Demas and our dear friend Luke, the doctor.
15 Give our greetings to the brothers and sisters in Laodicea. Greetings also to Nympha and to the church that meets in her house. 16 After this letter is read to you, be sure it is also read to the church in Laodicea. And you read the letter that I wrote to them. 17 Tell Archippus, “Be sure to do the work the Lord gave you.”
18 Here’s my greeting in my own handwriting— Paul. Remember me in prison. God’s grace be with you.
Colossians 4
King James Version
4 Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven.
2 Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;
3 Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds:
4 That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.
5 Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.
6 Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.
7 All my state shall Tychicus declare unto you, who is a beloved brother, and a faithful minister and fellowservant in the Lord:
8 Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that he might know your estate, and comfort your hearts;
9 With Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They shall make known unto you all things which are done here.
10 Aristarchus my fellowprisoner saluteth you, and Marcus, sister's son to Barnabas, (touching whom ye received commandments: if he come unto you, receive him;)
11 And Jesus, which is called Justus, who are of the circumcision. These only are my fellowworkers unto the kingdom of God, which have been a comfort unto me.
12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.
13 For I bear him record, that he hath a great zeal for you, and them that are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis.
14 Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you.
15 Salute the brethren which are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church which is in his house.
16 And when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that ye likewise read the epistle from Laodicea.
17 And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it.
18 The salutation by the hand of me Paul. Remember my bonds. Grace be with you. Amen.
Copyright © 2006 by Bible League International