Colossians 4

CHAPTER 4

Final Instructions and Greetings

¹Masters, show to your slaves what is right and fair, ^aknowing that you too have a Master in heaven.

^2aDevote yourselves to prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving;

³praying at the same time ^afor us as well, that God will open up to us a ^bdoor for ^cthe word, so that we may speak ^dthe mystery of Christ, for which I have also ^ebeen bound,

⁴that I may make it ^amanifest ^bin the way I ought to speak.

^5aWalk in wisdom toward ^boutsiders, ^credeeming the time.

^6aLet your ¹words always be ²with grace, seasoned with ^bsalt, so that you will know how you should ^canswer each person.

^7aTychicus, our ^bbeloved brother and faithful servant and fellow slave in the Lord, will make known to you ^call my affairs,

^8awhom I have sent to you for this very purpose, that you may know about our circumstances and that he may ^bencourage your hearts;

⁹¹and with him ^aOnesimus, our faithful and ^bbeloved brother, ^cwho is one of you. They will inform you about the whole situation here.

^10aAristarchus, my ^bfellow prisoner, sends you his greetings; and also Mark, the cousin of ^cBarnabas (about whom you received ¹instructions; ^dif he comes to you, welcome him);

¹¹and also Jesus who is called Justus. These are the only ^afellow workers for the kingdom of God ^bwho are from the circumcision, and they have proved to be a comfort to me.

^12aEpaphras, ^bwho is one of your number, a slave of Christ Jesus, sends you his greetings, always ^cstriving for you in his prayers, that you may stand ^1dcomplete and ^efully assured in all the will of God.

¹³For I testify for him that he has ¹a deep concern for you and for those who are in ^aLaodicea and Hierapolis.

^14aLuke, the beloved physician, sends you his greetings, and also ^bDemas.

¹⁵Greet the brothers who are in ^aLaodicea and also ¹Nympha and ^bthe church that is in ²her house.

^16aAnd when ¹this letter is read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and you, for your part ^bread ²my letter that is coming from ^cLaodicea.

¹⁷And say to ^aArchippus, “Take heed to the ^bministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may ¹fulfill it.”

^18aThe greeting is in my own hand—¹Paul. ^bRemember my ^cchains. ^dGrace be with you.