4:1 Masters, grant to your slaves justice and fairness, knowing that you too have a Master in heaven. |
4:2 Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving; |
4:3 praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have also received imprisonment; |
4:4 that I may make it clear in the way I ought to speak. |
4:5 Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. |
4:6 Let you speak always with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person. |
4:7 As to all my affairs, Tychicus, our beloved brother and faithful servant and fellow bond-servant in the Lord, will bring you information. |
4:8 For I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know about our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts; |
4:9 and with him Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who belongs to your fellowship. They will inform you about the whole situation here. |
4:10 Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, sends you his greetings; and also Barnabas's cousin Mark (about whom you received instructions; if he comes to you, welcome him); |
4:11 and also Jesus who people refer to as Justus; these constitute the only fellow workers for the kingdom of God who have remained with me from the circumcision, and they have proved an encouragement to me. |
4:12 Epaphras, who belongs to your fellowship, a bondslave of Jesus Christ, sends you his greetings, always laboring earnestly for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God. |
4:13 For I testify for him that he has a deep concern for you and for those who are in Laodicea and Hierapolis. |
4:14 Luke, the beloved physician, sends you his greetings, and also Demas. |
4:15 Greet the brethren who dwell in Laodicea and also Nympha and the church that meets in her house. |
4:16 When you read this letter among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and you, for your part read my letter that comes from Laodicea. |
4:17 Say to Archippus, "Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it." |