Colossians 4
1Masters, be fair and just in the way you treat your slaves. Remember that you too have a Master in heaven.
Instructions
2Be persistent in prayer, and keep alert as you pray, giving thanks to God. 3At the same time pray also for us, so that God will give us a good opportunity to preach his message about the secret of Christ. For that is why I am now in prison. 4Pray, then, that I may speak, as I should, in such a way as to make it clear.
5Be wise in the way you act towards those who are not believers, making good use of every opportunity you have. 6Your speech should always be pleasant and interesting, and you should know how to give the right answer to everyone.
Final Greetings
7Our dear brother Tychicus, who is a faithful worker and fellow-servant in the Lord's work, will give you all the news about me. 8That is why I am sending him to you, in order to cheer you up by telling you how all of us are getting on. 9With him goes Onesimus, that dear and faithful brother, who belongs to your group. They will tell you everything that is happening here.
10Aristarchus, who is in prison with me, sends you greetings, and so does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. (You have already received instructions to welcome Mark if he comes your way.) 11Joshua, also called Justus, sends greetings too. These three are the only Jewish believers who work with me for the Kingdom of God, and they have been a great help to me.
12Greetings from Epaphras, another member of your group and a servant of Christ Jesus. He always prays fervently for you, asking God to make you stand firm, as mature and fully convinced Christians, in complete obedience to God's will. 13I can personally testify to his hard work for you and for the people in Laodicea and Hierapolis. 14Luke, our dear doctor, and Demas send you their greetings.
15Give our best wishes to the brothers and sisters in Laodicea and to Nympha and the church that meets in her house. 16After you read this letter, make sure that it is read also in the church at Laodicea. At the same time, you are to read the letter that the brothers and sisters in Laodicea will send you. 17And say to Archippus, “Be sure to finish the task you were given in the Lord's service.”
18With my own hand I write this: Greetings from Paul. Do not forget my chains!
May God's grace be with you.
Good News Translation® with Deuterocanonicals/Apocrypha (Today’s English Version, Second Edition) © 1992 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.
Anglicisation © The British and Foreign Bible Society 1976, 1994, 2004
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