Kolosser 4
1 Ihr Herren, gebt euern Sklaven, was recht und billig ist! Bedenkt: auch ihr habt einen Herrn im Himmel!
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].
2 Beharrt im Gebet! Seid dabei wachsam und seid dankbar!
Pray to God persistently, and as you pray, be alert and be thanking God.
3 Betet auch für uns, daß Gott uns für die Predigt seines Wortes eine Tür auftue, damit wir das Geheimnis Christi, um dessentwillen ich auch in Ketten bin, verkündigen können.
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.
4 Ja betet, daß ich frei und offen davon reden kann, so wie es meine Pflicht ist!
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.
5 Geht weise um mit denen, die draußen sind, und benutzt dabei den rechten Augenblick!
Act wisely towards those who do not believe in the Lord Jesus [MTY]; use every opportunity to do that.
6 Eure Rede sei allezeit gewinnend und mit Salz gewürzt, so daß ihr einem jeden die rechte Antwort zu geben wißt!
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.
7 Über meine Lage wird euch Tychikus, der geliebte Bruder und treue Diener und Mitknecht in dem Herrn, ausführlich berichten.
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.
8 Ich sende ihn zu euch, damit er sehe, wie es euch geht, und er eure Herzen stärke.
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.)
9 Mit ihm kommt auch Onesimus, der treue und geliebte Bruder, euer Landsmann. Die beiden werden euch genau mitteilen, wie es hier steht.
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.
10 Es senden euch Grüße mein Mitgefangener Aristarchus und Markus, der Vetter des Barnabas. Über ihn habt ihr besondere Anweisungen empfangen; wenn er zu euch kommt, so nehmt ihn freundlich auf!
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.
11 Auch Jesus mit dem Beinamen Justus läßt euch grüßen. Nur diese drei sind von den Judenchristen meine Mitarbeiter für Gottes Königreich, und sie sind mir ein rechter Trost.
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.
12 Es grüßt euch euer Landsmann Epaphras, ein Knecht Christi Jesu. Er ringt unablässig für euch im Gebet, daß ihr in allem, was Gott von euch verlangt, in voller Geistesreife und klarer Überzeugung feststeht.
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.
13 Ich muß ihm das Zeugnis geben: er ist in großer Sorge um euch und um die Brüder in Laodizea und Hierapolis.
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].
14 Es grüßen euch Lukas, der Arzt, der teure Mann, und Demas.
Luke, the doctor, whom I/we [(exc)] love, and Demas (say that they are thinking fondly about you/send you their greetings).
15 Grüßt die Brüder in Laodizea, namentlich Nymphas und seine Hausgemeinde!
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).
16 Ist dieser Brief bei euch vorgelesen, dann sorgt dafür, daß er auch in der Gemeinde zu Laodizea verlesen werde, und lest ihr den Brief, den man euch aus Laodizea senden wird!
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.
17 Sagt dem Archippus: "Sieh zu, daß du das Amt, das du als Diener des Herrn empfangen hast, auch treu verwaltest!"
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.”
18 Ich, Paulus, sende euch einen eigenhändigen Gruß. Denkt an meine Ketten! Die Gnade sei mit euch!
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.
