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].

Masters, do what is right and fair by your slaves, for you know that you also have a Master — in Heaven.

2 Pray to God persistently, and as you pray, be alert and be thanking God.

Devote yourselves to prayer. Give your whole mind to it, and also offer thanksgiving;

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.

and at the same time pray for us, that God may give us an opening for our Message, so that we may speak of the truths hidden in the Christ — the truths for which I am in chains!

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.

Then I shall make them known, as I ought to do.

5 Act wisely towards those who do not believe in the Lord Jesus [MTY]; use every opportunity to do that.

Show tact in your behaviour to the outside world, making the most of every opportunity.

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.

Let your conversation always be kindly, and seasoned, as it were, with salt; that you may know in each case what answer you ought to give.

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.

Our dear Brother, Tychicus, will tell you all about me. He is a faithful minister, and a fellow-servant in the Master’s cause.

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.)

I send him to you expressly that you may learn our circumstances, and that he may give you encouragement.

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.

With him will be Onesimus, our dear faithful Brother, who is one of yourselves. They will tell you all that is going on here.

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.

My fellow-prisoner, Aristarchus, sends you his greeting, and Barnabas’s cousin, Mark, sends his. (You have received directions about him. If he comes to you, make him welcome.)

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.

Joshua, who is called Justus, also sends his greeting. These are the only converts from Judaism who have worked with me for the kingdom of God; I have found them a great comfort.

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.

Epaphras, who is one of yourselves, sends you his greeting. He is a servant of Christ Jesus, and is always most earnest in your behalf in his prayers, praying that you may stand firm, with a matured faith and with a sure conviction of all that is in accordance with God’s will.

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].

I can bear testimony to the deep interest he takes in you, as well as in the Brethren at Laodicea and at Hierapolis.

14 Luke, the doctor, whom I/we [(exc)] love, and Demas (say that they are thinking fondly about you/send you their greetings).

Luke, our dear doctor, sends you his greeting, and Demas sends his.

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).

Give my greeting to the Brethren at Laodicea, and to Nymphe, and to the Church that meets at her house.

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.

And when this letter has been read to you, see that it is also read before the Church at Laodicea, and that you yourselves read the letter which will be forwarded from there.

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.”

Give this message to Archippus — ‘Take care to discharge to the best of your ability the office to which you were appointed in the Master’s Cause.’

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.

I, Paul, add this greeting in my own handwriting. Remember these chains of mine. God’s blessing be with you.