< 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].
οι κυριοι το δικαιον και την ισοτητα τοις δουλοις παρεχεσθε ειδοτες οτι και υμεις εχετε κυριον εν ουρανοις
2 Pray to God persistently, and as you pray, be alert and be thanking God.
τη προσευχη προσκαρτερειτε γρηγορουντες εν αυτη εν ευχαριστια
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.
προσευχομενοι αμα και περι ημων ινα ο θεος ανοιξη ημιν θυραν του λογου λαλησαι το μυστηριον του χριστου δι ο και δεδεμαι
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.
ινα φανερωσω αυτο ως δει με λαλησαι
5 Act wisely towards those who do not believe in the Lord Jesus [MTY]; use every opportunity to do that.
εν σοφια περιπατειτε προς τους εξω τον καιρον εξαγοραζομενοι
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.
ο λογος υμων παντοτε εν χαριτι αλατι ηρτυμενος ειδεναι πως δει υμας ενι εκαστω αποκρινεσθαι
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.
τα κατ εμε παντα γνωρισει υμιν τυχικος ο αγαπητος αδελφος και πιστος διακονος και συνδουλος εν κυριω
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.)
ον επεμψα προς υμας εις αυτο τουτο ινα γνω τα περι υμων και παρακαλεση τας καρδιας υμων
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.
συν ονησιμω τω πιστω και αγαπητω αδελφω ος εστιν εξ υμων παντα υμιν γνωριουσιν τα ωδε
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.
ασπαζεται υμας αρισταρχος ο συναιχμαλωτος μου και μαρκος ο ανεψιος βαρναβα περι ου ελαβετε εντολας εαν ελθη προς υμας δεξασθε αυτον
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.
και ιησους ο λεγομενος ιουστος οι οντες εκ περιτομης ουτοι μονοι συνεργοι εις την βασιλειαν του θεου οιτινες εγενηθησαν μοι παρηγορια
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.
ασπαζεται υμας επαφρας ο εξ υμων δουλος χριστου παντοτε αγωνιζομενος υπερ υμων εν ταις προσευχαις ινα στητε τελειοι και πεπληρωμενοι εν παντι θεληματι του θεου
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].
μαρτυρω γαρ αυτω οτι εχει ζηλον πολυν υπερ υμων και των εν λαοδικεια και των εν ιεραπολει
14 Luke, the doctor, whom I/we [(exc)] love, and Demas (say that they are thinking fondly about you/send you their greetings).
ασπαζεται υμας λουκας ο ιατρος ο αγαπητος και δημας
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).
ασπασασθε τους εν λαοδικεια αδελφους και νυμφαν και την κατ οικον αυτου εκκλησιαν
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.
και οταν αναγνωσθη παρ υμιν η επιστολη ποιησατε ινα και εν τη λαοδικεων εκκλησια αναγνωσθη και την εκ λαοδικειας ινα και υμεις αναγνωτε
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.”
και ειπατε αρχιππω βλεπε την διακονιαν ην παρελαβες εν κυριω ινα αυτην πληροις
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.
ο ασπασμος τη εμη χειρι παυλου μνημονευετε μου των δεσμων η χαρις μεθ υμων αμην