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
Young's Literal Translation
4 The masters! that which is righteous and equal to the servants give ye, having known that ye also have a Master in the heavens.
2 In the prayer continue ye, watching in it in thanksgiving;
3 praying at the same time also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to speak the secret of the Christ, because of which also I have been bound,
4 that I may manifest it, as it behoveth me to speak;
5 in wisdom walk ye toward those without, the time forestalling;
6 your word always in grace -- with salt being seasoned -- to know how it behoveth you to answer each one.
7 All the things concerning me make known to you shall Tychicus -- the beloved brother, and faithful ministrant, and fellow-servant in the Lord --
8 whom I did send unto you for this very thing, that he might know the things concerning you, and might comfort your hearts,
9 with Onesimus the faithful and beloved brother, who is of you; all things to you shall they make known that [are] here.
10 Salute you doth Aristarchus, my fellow-captive, and Marcus, the nephew of Barnabas, (concerning whom ye did receive commands -- if he may come unto you receive him,)
11 and Jesus who is called Justus, who are of the circumcision: these only [are] fellow-workers for the reign of God who did become a comfort to me.
12 Salute you doth Epaphras, who [is] of you, a servant of Christ, always striving for you in the prayers, that ye may stand perfect and made full in all the will of God,
13 for I do testify to him, that he hath much zeal for you, and those in Laodicea, and those in Hierapolis.
14 Salute you doth Lukas, the beloved physician, and Demas;
15 salute ye those in Laodicea -- brethren, and Nymphas, and the assembly in his house;
16 and when the epistle may be read with you, cause that also in the assembly of the Laodiceans it may be read, and the [epistle] from Laodicea that ye also may read;
17 and say to Archippus, `See to the ministration that thou didst receive in the Lord, that thou mayest fulfil it.'
18 The salutation by the hand of me, Paul; remember my bonds; the grace [is] with you. Amen.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
