Kolosser 4,1 | New International Reader’s Version

1 Masters, give your slaves what is right and fair. Do it because you know that you also have a Master in heaven.

More teachings

2 Give a lot of time and effort to prayer. Always be watchful and thankful.

3 Pray for us too. Pray that God will give us an opportunity to preach our message. Then we can preach the mystery of Christ. Because I preached it, I am being held by chains.

4 Pray that I will preach it clearly, as I should.

5 Be wise in the way you act towards outsiders. Make the most of every opportunity.

6 Let the words you speak always be full of grace. Learn how to make your words what people want to hear. Then you will know how to answer everyone.

Final greetings

7 Tychicus will tell you all the news about me. He is a dear brother. He is a faithful worker. He serves the Lord together with us.

8 I am sending him to you for one reason. I want you to know what is happening here. I want him to encourage you and make your hearts strong.

9 He is coming with Onesimus, our faithful and dear brother. He is one of you. They will tell you everything that is happening here.

10 Aristarchus is in prison with me. He sends you his greetings. So does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. You have been given directions about him. If he comes to you, welcome him.

11 Jesus, who is called Justus, also sends greetings. They are the only Jews who have worked together with me for God’s kingdom. They have been a comfort to me.

12 Epaphras sends greetings. He is one of you. He serves Christ Jesus. He is always praying hard for you. He prays that you will hold on tightly to all that God has in mind for us. He prays that you will keep growing in your knowledge of what God wants. He also prays that you will be completely sure about it.

13 I am happy to tell you that he is working very hard for you. He is also working hard for everyone in Laodicea and Hierapolis.

14 Our dear friend Luke, the doctor, sends greetings. So does Demas.

15 Give my greetings to the brothers and sisters in Laodicea. Also give my greetings to Nympha and the church that meets in her house.

16 After this letter has been read to you, send it on. Be sure that it is also read to the church in Laodicea. And be sure that you read the letter from Laodicea.

17 Tell Archippus, ‘Be sure that you complete the work the Lord gave you to do.’

18 I, Paul, am writing this greeting with my own hand. Remember that I am being held by chains. May grace be with you.

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English Standard Version

1 Masters, treat your bondservants* justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.

Further Instructions

2 Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.

3 At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison—

4 that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.

5 Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time.

6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.

Final Greetings

7 Tychicus will tell you all about my activities. He is a beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow servant* in the Lord.

8 I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are and that he may encourage your hearts,

9 and with him Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you of everything that has taken place here.

10 Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, and Mark the cousin of Barnabas (concerning whom you have received instructions—if he comes to you, welcome him),

11 and Jesus who is called Justus. These are the only men of the circumcision among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me.

12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God.

13 For I bear him witness that he has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea and in Hierapolis.

14 Luke the beloved physician greets you, as does Demas.

15 Give my greetings to the brothers* at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house.

16 And when this letter has been read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you also read the letter from Laodicea.

17 And say to Archippus, “See that you fulfill the ministry that you have received in the Lord.”

18 I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.

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