Colossenes 4
1 domini quod iustum est et aequum servis praestate scientes quoniam et vos Dominum habetis in caelo
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 orationi instate vigilantes in ea in gratiarum actione
Pray to God persistently, and as you pray, be alert and be thanking God.
3 orantes simul et pro nobis ut Deus aperiat nobis ostium sermonis ad loquendum mysterium Christi propter quod etiam vinctus sum
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 ut manifestem illud ita ut oportet me loqui
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 in sapientia ambulate ad eos qui foris sunt tempus redimentes
Act wisely towards those who do not believe in the Lord Jesus [MTY]; use every opportunity to do that.
6 sermo vester semper in gratia sale sit conditus ut sciatis quomodo oporteat vos unicuique respondere
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 quae circa me sunt omnia vobis nota faciet Tychicus carissimus frater et fidelis minister et conservus in Domino
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 quem misi ad vos ad hoc ipsum ut cognoscat quae circa vos sunt et consoletur corda vestra
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 cum Onesimo carissimo et fideli fratre qui est ex vobis omnia quae hic aguntur nota facient vobis
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 salutat vos Aristarchus concaptivus meus et Marcus consobrinus Barnabae de quo accepistis mandata si venerit ad vos excipite illum
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 et Iesus qui dicitur Iustus qui sunt ex circumcisione hii soli sunt adiutores in regno Dei qui mihi fuerunt solacio
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 salutat vos Epaphras qui ex vobis est servus Christi Iesu semper sollicitus pro vobis in orationibus ut stetis perfecti et pleni in omni voluntate Dei
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 testimonium enim illi perhibeo quod habet multum laborem pro vobis et pro his qui sunt Laodiciae et qui Hierapoli
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 salutat vos Lucas medicus carissimus et Demas
Luke, the doctor, whom I/we [(exc)] love, and Demas (say that they are thinking fondly about you/send you their greetings).
15 salutate fratres qui sunt Laodiciae et Nympham et quae in domo eius est ecclesiam
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 et cum lecta fuerit apud vos epistula facite ut et in Laodicensium ecclesia legatur et eam quae Laodicensium est vos legatis
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 et dicite Archippo vide ministerium quod accepisti in Domino ut illud impleas
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 salutatio mea manu Pauli memores estote vinculorum meorum gratia vobiscum 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.
