Colossians 4

¹ Masters, make sure that your slaves are given what is upright and fair, knowing that you too have aMaster in heaven.

² Be persevering in your prayers and be thankful as you stay awake to pray.

³ Pray for us especial y, asking God to throw open a door for us to announce the message and proclaimthe mystery of Christ, for the sake of which I am in chains;

⁴ pray that I may proclaim it as clearly as I ought.

⁵ Act wisely with outsiders, making the best of the present time.

⁶ Always talk pleasantly and with a flavour of wit but be sensitive to the kind of answer each one requires.

⁷ Tychicus will tel you al the news about me. He is a very dear brother, and a trustworthy helper andcompanion in the service of the Lord.

⁸ I am sending him to you precisely for this purpose: to give you news about us and to encourage youthoroughly.

⁹ With him I am sending Onesimus, that dear and trustworthy brother who is a fel ow-citizen of yours.They wil tell you everything that is happening here.

¹⁰ Aristarchus, who is here in prison with me, sends his greetings, and so does Mark, the cousin ofBarnabas -- you were sent some instructions about him; if he comes to you, give him a warm welcome-

¹¹ and Jesus Justus adds his greetings. Of al those who have come over from the circumcision, theseare the only ones actually working with me for the kingdom of God. They have been a great comfort to me.

¹² Epaphras, your fel ow-citizen, sends his greetings; this servant of Christ Jesus never stops battling foryou, praying that you will never lapse but always hold perfectly and securely to the wil of God.

¹³ I can testify for him that he works hard for you, as wel as for those at Laodicea and Hierapolis.

¹⁴ Greetings from my dear friend Luke, the doctor, and also from Demas.

¹⁵ Please give my greetings to the brothers at Laodicea and to Nympha and the church which meets inher house.

¹⁶ After this letter has been read among you, send it on to be read in the church of the Laodiceans; andget the letter from Laodicea for you to read yourselves.

¹⁷ Give Archippus this message, 'Remember the service that the Lord assigned to you, and try to carry itout.'

¹⁸ This greeting is in my own hand-PAUL. Remember the chains I wear. Grace be with you.