Colossians 3:18–4:6

Family Relations

18 aWives, bbe subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.

19 aHusbands, love your wives and do not be embittered against them.

20 aChildren, be obedient to your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing 1to the Lord.

21 aFathers, do not exasperate your children, so that they will not lose heart.

22 aSlaves, in all things obey those who are your masters 1on earth, bnot with 2external service, as those who merely please men, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.

23 Whatever you do, do your work 1heartily, aas for the Lord 2rather than for men,

24 aknowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward 1of bthe inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you cserve.

25 For ahe who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and 1bthat without partiality.

Chapter 4

Fellow Workers

1 Masters, grant to your slaves justice and fairness, aknowing that you too have a Master in heaven.

2 aDevote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving;

3 praying 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 forth dthe mystery of Christ, for which I have also ebeen imprisoned;

4 that I may make it clear ain the way I ought to speak.

5 1aConduct yourselves with wisdom toward boutsiders, 2cmaking the most of the opportunity.

6 aLet your speech always be 1with grace, as though seasoned with bsalt, so that you will know how you should crespond to each person.