²²Slaves, obey your human^q masters in everything. Don’t work only while being watched, as people-pleasers, but work wholeheartedly, fearing the Lord.^r ²³Whatever you do, do it from the heart, as something done for the Lord and not for people,^s ²⁴knowing that you will receive the reward of an inheritance from the Lord. You serve the Lord Christ. ²⁵For the wrongdoer^t will be paid back for whatever wrong he has done, and there is no favoritism.

4Masters,^u deal with your slaves justly and fairly, since you know that you too have a Master in heaven.

SPEAKING TO GOD AND OTHERS

²Devote yourselves^v to prayer; stay alert in it with thanksgiving. ³At the same time, pray also for us that God may open a door^w to us for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ,^x for which I am in chains,^y ⁴so that I may make it known as I should. ⁵Act wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time.^z ⁶Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt,^aa so that you may know how you should answer each person.^ab

Read in Logos

Colossians 3:23: Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men…

Cross references

q Rm 1:3; 4:1; 8:4–5,12–13; 9:3,5; 1Co 1:26; 10:18; 2Co 1:17; 5:16; 10:2–3; 11:18; Gl 4:23,29; Eph 6:5
r Pr 1:7; Rv 14:7
s Eph 6:7
t Rv 2:11
u Col 3:22
v Rm 12:12
w Ac 14:27; 1Co 16:9; 2Co 2:12
x 1Co 2:7; Eph 3:4; 5:2
y Ac 27:2; 28:16,30; Eph 6:18–20
z Eph 5:15–17
aa Mk 9:50; Lk 14:34
ab 1Pt 3:15