Colossians 4
1 You masters, treat your slaves justly and fairly, because you know that you have a master who is in heaven [who will say whether he approves of what you have done].
Gij meesters, geeft uw slaven wat recht is en billijk; want gij weet, dat ook gij een Meester hebt in de hemel.
2 Pray to God persistently, and as you pray, be alert and be thanking God.
Volhardt in het gebed, aandachtig en dankbaar!
3 Since I am in prison [MTY] because [I declared the message about Christ] that God has now revealed, pray also for me that God will give me opportunities [MTY] to speak, in order that I might declare it.
Bidt ook voor ons, dat God ons de deur der prediking mag openen, en ik het heilsgeheim van Christus verkondigen mag, waarvoor ik dan ook een gevangene ben;
4 That is, pray for me that [God will enable me to] make his message known publicly. I need to do this because I know that I should declare it.
en dat ik het openlijk mag preken, zoals het mijn plicht is.
5 Act wisely towards those who do not believe in the Lord Jesus [MTY]; use every opportunity to do that.
Uw omgang met de buitenstaanders moet met wijsheid gebeuren; neemt daartoe elke gunstige gelegenheid te baat.
6 In particular, always speak graciously and in a pleasant way [to those who do not believe in the Lord Jesus]. As a result, you will come to know in what manner you should answer each one of them.
Uw gesprek moet steeds opgewekt zijn, met zout gekruid; gij moet weten, hoe gij iedereen te woord hebt te staan.
7 Tychicus will tell you all that has been happening to me. He is a fellow believer whom I/we [(exc)] love and who helps me faithfully and who serves the Lord [Jesus] together with me.
Túchicus, mijn geliefde broeder, de trouwe dienaar en medearbeider in den Heer, zal u volledig inlichten over mijn toestand.
8 The reason that I am sending Tychicus to you [with this letter] is that he might know how you are and in order that he might strengthen you [spiritually]. (OR, in order that you might know about us [(exc)] and in order that he might comfort you.)
Daarom juist zend ik hem naar u toe, opdat gij weten moogt, hoe het ons gaat, en opdat hij uw harten mag troosten.
9 I am sending him to you with Onesimus, who is a faithful fellow believer whom I/we [(inc)] love and who is your fellow townsman. They will tell you all about what has been happening here.
Met hem zend ik Onésimus uw landgenoot, den trouwen en geliefden broeder. Zij zullen u vertellen al wat hier gebeurt.
10 Aristarchus, who is in prison with me, and Mark, who is Barnabas’ cousin, (say that they are thinking fondly about you/send you their greetings). I have instructed you about Mark, so if he comes to you, welcome him.
U groet Aristarchus, mijn medegevangene; en Markus, de neef van Bárnabas, over wien gij reeds de opdracht hebt gekregen, hem goed te ontvangen, als hij bij u komt; Jesus eveneens, ook Justus geheten.
11 Jesus, who is also called Justus, also (says that he is thinking fondly about you/greets you/sends you his greetings). These three men are the only Jewish [believers] who are working with me in order that people would submit to God as their king, and they have all comforted me.
Ze zijn de enigen uit de besnijdenis, die mijn medewerkers voor het koninkrijk Gods, en voor mijzelf een grote troost zijn geweest.
12 Epaphras, who is your fellow townsman and who serves Christ Jesus, (says that he is thinking fondly about you/greets you/sends you his greetings). Epaphras prays earnestly for you very often, that you might be spiritually mature and that you might know fully all that God wills for you.
U groet Épafras uw landgenoot, een dienstknecht van Christus Jesus, die steeds voor u worstelt in zijn gebeden, opdat gij stand moogt houden, volmaakt en volkomen, in alles wat God van u verlangt.
13 I can assure you that he prays this because he is deeply concerned for you, for those who live in Laodicea [city], and for those who live in Hierapolis [city].
Want ik getuig over hem, dat hij zich veel moeite getroost, zowel voor u als voor hen, die in Laodicea en Hiërápolis zijn.
14 Luke, the doctor, whom I/we [(exc)] love, and Demas (say that they are thinking fondly about you/send you their greetings).
U groet de geliefde Lukas, de arts, en Demas eveneens.
15 Tell the fellow believers who live in Laodicea [city] and Nympha and the congregation that [meets] in her house that we (are thinking fondly about them/send them our greetings).
Groet de broeders in Laodicea; zo ook Numfa met de gemeente, die in haar huis vergadert.
16 After [someone] reads this letter [publicly] to you, cause [someone] to also read it to the congregation that is in Laodicea [city]. And as for the [letter that I wrote to the congregation that is in] Laodicea [city], make sure that it is also read among you {you should also read that letter} publicly.
En wanneer de brief bij u is voorgelezen, zorgt er dan voor, dat hij ook in de kerk van Laodicea voorgelezen wordt, en dat gij zelf de brief uit Laodicea te lezen krijgt.
17 Say to Archippus, “Make sure that you complete the task that God appointed you to do, because you have a close relationship with the Lord Jesus.”
En zegt aan Archippus: Zorg er voor, dat ge het ambt naar behoren vervult, dat ge ontvangen hebt in den Heer.
18 I, Paul, (am thinking fondly about you/send you my greetings). Having taken the pen from my scribe, I am now writing this myself in order that you may know that I have truly sent this letter. Remember to pray about the fact that I am in prison [MTY]. I pray that our Lord Jesus Christ would continue to act graciously towards you all.
De eigenhandige groet van mij: Paulus. Weest mijn boeien indachtig! De genade zij met u allen!
