Colossesi 4
1 Signori, fate ciò che è giusto, e ragionevole inverso i servi, sapendo che ancora voi avete un Signore ne' cieli.
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 PERSEVERATE nell'orazione, vegliando in essa con ringraziamento.
Pray to God persistently, and as you pray, be alert and be thanking God.
3 Pregando insieme ancora per noi, acciocchè Iddio apra eziandio a noi la porta della parola, per annunziare il misterio di Cristo, per lo quale anche sono prigione;
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 acciocchè io lo manifesti, come mi convien parlare.
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 Procedete con sapienza inverso quei di fuori; ricomperando il tempo.
Act wisely towards those who do not believe in the Lord Jesus [MTY]; use every opportunity to do that.
6 Il vostro parlare [sia] sempre con grazia, condito con sale; per sapere come vi si convien rispondere a ciascuno.
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 TICHICO, il caro fratello, e fedel ministro, e [mio] conservo nel Signore, vi farà assapere tutto lo stato mio.
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 Il quale io ho mandato a voi a questo stesso fine, acciocchè sappia lo stato vostro, e consoli i cuori vostri,
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 insieme col fedele, e caro fratello Onesimo, il quale è de' vostri; [essi] vi faranno assaper tutte le cose di qua.
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 Aristarco, prigione meco, vi saluta; così ancora Marco, il cugino di Barnaba; intorno al quale avete ricevuto ordine; se viene a voi, accoglietelo.
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 E Gesù, detto Giusto, i quali son della circoncisione; questi soli [son] gli operai nell'opera del regno di Dio, i quali mi sono stati di conforto.
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 Epafra, [che è] de' vostri, servo di Cristo, vi saluta; combattendo sempre per voi nelle orazioni, acciocchè stiate fermi, perfetti, e compiuti in tutta la volontà di Dio.
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 Perciocchè io gli rendo testimonianza, ch'egli ha un gran zelo per voi, e per quelli [che sono] in Laodicea, e per quelli [che sono] in Ierapoli.
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 Il diletto Luca, il medico, e Dema, vi salutano.
Luke, the doctor, whom I/we [(exc)] love, and Demas (say that they are thinking fondly about you/send you their greetings).
15 Salutate i fratelli [che sono] in Laodicea, e Ninfa, e la chiesa [che è] in casa sua.
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 E quando quest'epistola sarà stata letta fra voi, fate che sia ancor letta nella chiesa de' Laodicesi; e che ancora voi leggiate quella [che vi sarà mandata] da Laodicea.
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 E dite ad Archippo: Guarda al ministerio che tu hai ricevuto nel Signore, acciocchè tu l'adempia.
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 Il saluto, [scritto] di mano [propria] di me Paolo. Ricordatevi de' miei legami. La grazia [sia] con voi. Amen.
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.
