Colossians  ◦   Chapter 4

1 Masters, treat your slaves with love and kindness, providing for their health and wellness, because you want to model yourselves after your Master in heaven.

2 Steadfastly maintain your relationship with God by talking with him often; be alert, keeping watch over your hearts, and preserve thankfulness.3 And remember us also in your conversations with God: ask that he will open a way for us to proclaim more broadly the truth about him–hidden by Satan's lies, but revealed in Christ Jesus–this truth for which I am imprisoned.4 Ask God to enable me to speak this message with cutting clarity, for this is the mission he has given me.5 Be wise when you interact with non-Christians–those who don't know the truth about God as revealed by Jesus; seek every opportunity to reveal this healing truth to them in gentleness and love.6 Talk with them graciously, gently sprinkling new truth in appropriate amounts — like salt: enough to whet their appetites for more, but not so much that makes it too hard to comprehend or handle all at once. Practice this so that you may become efficient and know how to share God’s healing truth with everyone.

7 When Tychicus gets there, he will tell you everything that is going on with me. He is a real brother in the Lord — a fellow worker for God — who faithfully ministers God's healing truth to all who will accept it.8 I am sending him specifically to share with you all that is happening with us, in order to strengthen your confidence in God as you understand more clearly how he is working in our lives.9 Onesimus, our good and trustworthy friend and brother in Christ, who is from your congregation at Colossae, will be coming with Tychicus. Together they will fill you in on everything happening here.

10 Aristarchus, who is imprisoned with me, sends you his respects and best wishes, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. (I've told you before about him; if he comes, welcome him warmly.)11 Jesus Justus is also here and sends his blessings and best wishes. These are the only Jews here, working to spread the truth about God's true character as revealed in Christ Jesus, and they have been a real encouragement to me.12 Epaphras, another member of your congregation at Colossae and a hard worker for Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He constantly presses God to enlighten and strengthen you to stand firm and grow into full stature as confident sons and daughters of God.13 I can tell you from my own observations that he works tirelessly for you and those at Laodicea and Hierapolis.14 And our good friends, doctor Luke and Demas, send their best wishes and blessings.15 Please extend my personal greetings to our brothers and sisters at Laodicea; greet Nympha and the believers meeting in her home.

16 And be sure that after this letter is read to you, it is also read in the church at Laodicea, and that you read the letter I sent to them.

17 And tell Archippus to stay on task and complete the work the Lord has given him to do.

18 I, Paul, write this greeting myself, in my own handwriting. Remember my imprisonment. May God's graciousness abound with you.