Colossians
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Colossians 4

Fellow Workers

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

2 Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving; 3 praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned; 4 that I may make it clear in the way I ought to speak.

5 [a]Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, [b]making the most of the opportunity. 6 Let your speech always be [c]with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.

7 As to all my affairs, Tychicus, our beloved brother and faithful servant and fellow bond-servant in the Lord, will bring you information. 8 For I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know about our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts; 9 [d]and with him Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of your number. They will inform you about the whole situation here.

10 Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, sends you his greetings; and also Barnabas’s cousin Mark (about whom you received [e]instructions; if he comes to you, welcome him); 11 and also Jesus who is called Justus; these are the only fellow workers for the kingdom of God who are from the circumcision, and they have proved to be an encouragement to me. 12 Epaphras, who is one of your number, a bondslave of Jesus Christ, sends you his greetings, always laboring earnestly for you in his prayers, that you may [f]stand [g]perfect 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 Laodicea and Hierapolis. 14 Luke, the beloved physician, sends you his greetings, and also Demas. 15 Greet the brethren who are in Laodicea and also [j]Nympha and the church that is in [k]her house. 16 When [l]this letter is read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and you, for your part read [m]my letter that is coming from Laodicea. 17 Say to Archippus, “Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may [n]fulfill it.”

18 [o]I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my [p]imprisonment. Grace be with you.

Footnotes

  1. Colossians 4:5 Lit Walk
  2. Colossians 4:5 Lit redeeming the time
  3. Colossians 4:6 Or gracious
  4. Colossians 4:9 Lit along with Onesimus
  5. Colossians 4:10 Or orders
  6. Colossians 4:12 Or stand firm
  7. Colossians 4:12 Or complete or mature
  8. Colossians 4:12 Or made complete
  9. Colossians 4:13 Or much toil or great pain
  10. Colossians 4:15 Or Nymphas (masc)
  11. Colossians 4:15 One early ms reads their
  12. Colossians 4:16 Lit the
  13. Colossians 4:16 Lit the
  14. Colossians 4:17 Or continually fulfill
  15. Colossians 4:18 Lit The greeting by my hand of Paul
  16. Colossians 4:18 Lit bonds
Colossians 4