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].
De herrar, gjer imot dykkar tenarar det som rett og rimelegt er, då de veit at de og hev ein Herre i himmelen!
2 Pray to God persistently, and as you pray, be alert and be thanking God.
Ver trottige i bøni, so de vaker i henne med takksegjing!
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.
Og bed for oss med, at Gud må opna oss ei dør for ordet til å forkynna Kristi løyndom, den som eg og er i lekkjor for,
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.
so eg kann openberra honom so som eg bør tala.
5 Act wisely towards those who do not believe in the Lord Jesus [MTY]; use every opportunity to do that.
Ferdast visleg med deim som er utanfor, so de kjøper den laglege tid!
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.
Dykkar tale vere alltid tekkjeleg, krydda med salt, so de veit korleis de skal svara kvar og ein.
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.
Kor det gjeng meg, det skal Tykikus kunngjera dykk alt saman, han min kjære bror og true medhjelpar og medtenar i Herren,
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.)
som eg sender til dykk just for dette, at de skal få vita korleis det er med oss, og han skal trøysta dykkar hjarto,
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.
saman med Onesimus, den trune og kjære bror, som er ifrå dykk. Korleis det er her, det skal dei kunngjera dykk alt saman.
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.
Aristarkus, min medfange, helsar dykk, og Markus, Barnabas’ systkinbarn, som de fekk påbod um - når han kjem til dykk, so tak imot honom! -
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.
og Jesus som og er kalla Justus; desse er av dei umskorne dei einaste medarbeidarar for Guds rike som hev vorte meg til hugge.
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.
Epafras helsar dykk, han som er ifrå dykk, ein Kristi Jesu tenar som alltid strider for dykk i sine bøner, at de må standa fullkomne og fullvisse i all Guds vilje;
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].
for eg gjev honom det vitnemål, at han hev mykje stræv for dykk og deim i Laodikea og deim i Hierapolis.
14 Luke, the doctor, whom I/we [(exc)] love, and Demas (say that they are thinking fondly about you/send you their greetings).
Lukas helsar dykk, den kjære lækjaren, og Demas.
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).
Helsa brørne i Laodikea, og Nymfas og kyrkjelyden i hans hus!
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.
Og når dette brevet er lese hjå dykk, so syt for at det og vert lese i kyrkjelyden hjå laodikearane, og at de fær lesa brevet frå Laodikea!
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.”
Og seg til Arkippus: «Tak vare på den tenesta som du hev motteke i Herren, so du fullfører henne!»
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.
Helsing med mi, Paulus’, hand: Kom i hug mine lekkjor! Nåden vere med dykk!
