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
Holman Christian Standard Bible
4 Masters,(A) supply your slaves with what is right and fair, since you know that you too have a Master in heaven.
Speaking to God and Others
2 Devote yourselves(B) to prayer; stay alert in it with thanksgiving. 3 At the same time, pray also for us that God may open a door(C) to us for the message, to speak the mystery of the Messiah,(D) for which I am in prison,(E) 4 so that I may reveal it as I am required to speak. 5 Act wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time.(F) 6 Your speech should always be gracious, seasoned with salt,(G) so that you may know how you should answer each person.(H)
Christian Greetings
7 Tychicus,(I) our dearly loved brother, faithful(J) servant, and fellow slave in the Lord, will tell you all the news about me. 8 I have sent him to you for this very purpose, so that you may know how we are[a] and so that he may encourage(K) your hearts.(L) 9 He is with Onesimus,(M) a faithful and dearly loved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you about everything here.
10 Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, greets you, as does Mark,(N) Barnabas’s(O) cousin (concerning whom you have received instructions: if he comes to you, welcome him), 11 and so does Jesus who is called Justus. These alone of the circumcision are my coworkers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me. 12 Epaphras,(P) who is one of you, a slave of Christ Jesus, greets you. He is always contending(Q) for you in his prayers, so that you can stand mature and fully assured[b] in everything God wills.(R) 13 For I testify about him that he works hard[c](S) for you, for those in Laodicea,(T) and for those in Hierapolis. 14 Luke, the dearly loved physician, and Demas(U) greet you. 15 Give my greetings to the brothers in Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her home.(V) 16 When this letter has been read among you, have it read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you also read the letter from Laodicea. 17 And tell Archippus,(W) “Pay attention to the ministry you have received in the Lord, so that you can accomplish it.”(X)
18 This greeting is in my own hand—Paul. Remember my imprisonment.(Y) Grace be with you.[d](Z)
Footnotes
- Colossians 4:8 Other mss read that he may know how you are
- Colossians 4:12 Other mss read and complete
- Colossians 4:13 Other mss read he has a great zeal
- Colossians 4:18 Other mss add Amen.
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.
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