1 Masters, give to bondmen what is just and fair, knowing that ye also have a Master in [the] heavens. 2 Persevere in prayer, watching in it with thanksgiving; 3 praying at the same time for us also, that God may open to us a door of the word to speak the mystery of Christ, on account of which also I am bound, 4 to the end that I may make it manifest as I ought to speak. 5 Walk in wisdom towards those without, redeeming opportunities. 6 [Let] your word [be] always with grace, seasoned with salt, [so as] to know how ye ought to answer each one. 7 Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow-bondman in [the] Lord, will make known to you all that concerns me; 8 whom I have sent to you for this very purpose, that he might know your state, and that he might encourage your hearts: 9 with Onesimus, the faithful and beloved brother, who is [one] of you. They shall make known to you everything here. 10 Aristarchus my fellow-captive salutes you, and Mark, Barnabas's cousin, concerning whom ye have received orders, (if he come to you, receive him,) 11 and Jesus called Justus, who are of the circumcision. These [are the] only fellow-workers for the kingdom of God who have been a consolation to me. 12 Epaphras, who is [one] of you, [the] bondman of Christ Jesus, salutes you, always combating earnestly for you in prayers, to the end that ye may stand perfect and complete in all [the] will of God. 13 For I bear him witness that he labours much for you, and them in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis. 14 Luke, the beloved physician, salutes you, and Demas. 15 Salute the brethren in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the assembly which [is] in his house. 16 And when the letter has been read among you, cause that it be read also in the assembly of Laodiceans, and that ye also read that from Laodicea. 17 And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in [the] Lord, to the end that thou fulfil it. 18 The salutation by the hand of me Paul. Remember my bonds. Grace [be] with you.
Colossians · Darby Translation
Colossians 4 Darby Translation
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Archippus
Called by Paul his fellow soldier and told to complete the ministry he received in the Lord.
Cited in the guide: Colossians 4:17; Philemon 2
Demas
A coworker of Paul who sends greetings from Rome, but later deserted him because he loved the present world.
Cited in the guide: Colossians 4:14; 2 Timothy 4:10; Philemon 24
Epaphras
A faithful minister of Christ who taught the Colossians, wrestled for them in prayer, and was Paul's fellow prisoner.
Cited in the guide: Colossians 1:7; Colossians 4:12; Philemon 23
Jesus called Justus
Named by Paul among the few Jewish believers who were his coworkers for the kingdom of God and a comfort to him.
Cited in the guide: Colossians 4:11
Luke
Paul's beloved physician and coworker who stayed with him when others had left him in his final imprisonment.
Cited in the guide: Colossians 4:14; 2 Timothy 4:11; Philemon 24
Nympha
A woman whose house hosts a church to which Paul sends greetings.
Cited in the guide: Colossians 4:15
Onesimus
A slave who became a believer through Paul in prison and whom Paul sent back to Philemon as a beloved brother.
Cited in the guide: Colossians 4:9; Philemon 10
Tychicus
A man from Asia who traveled with Paul; Paul calls him a beloved brother and faithful servant and sent him with letters to Ephesus, Colossae, and elsewhere.
Cited in the guide: Acts 20:4; Ephesians 6:21; Colossians 4:7
Cross references (18)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Ephesians 6:8–20; Revelation 17:14; Deuteronomy 24:14–15; James 2:13; Luke 16:1–13
- 2 1 Thessalonians 5:17–18; Philippians 4:6; Ephesians 6:18; Romans 12:12; Matthew 26:41
- 3 Ephesians 6:19–20; Acts 14:27; 2 Thessalonians 3:1–2; Philippians 1:13–14; 1 Corinthians 4:1
- 4 2 Corinthians 4:1–4; Ephesians 6:20; Colossians 4:6; 2 Corinthians 3:12; 2 Corinthians 2:14–17
- 5 Ephesians 5:15–17; James 3:13; James 3:17; 1 Thessalonians 4:12; Romans 16:19
- 6 Ephesians 4:29; 1 Peter 3:15; Ecclesiastes 10:12; Mark 9:50; Proverbs 15:4
- 7 Ephesians 6:21–23; Acts 20:4; 2 Timothy 4:12; Titus 3:12; 1 Corinthians 4:1–4
- 8 Ephesians 6:22; Colossians 2:2; 2 Corinthians 12:18; 1 Corinthians 4:17; 1 Thessalonians 2:11
- 9 Philemon 10–19; Colossians 4:7
- 10 Acts 19:29; 2 Timothy 4:11; Philemon 24; Acts 15:37–39; Acts 27:2
- 11 Acts 11:2; Titus 1:10; Philemon 1; Romans 4:12; 2 Corinthians 6:1
- 12 Romans 15:30; Colossians 1:9; Colossians 1:28; Colossians 1:7; Philemon 23
- 13 Colossians 2:1; 2 Corinthians 8:3; Revelation 3:14–18; Romans 10:2; Revelation 1:11
- 14 Philemon 24; 2 Timothy 4:10–11
- 15 Romans 16:5; 1 Corinthians 16:9; Philemon 2
- 16 1 Thessalonians 5:27; 2 Thessalonians 3:14
- 17 Philemon 2; Acts 1:17; 1 Timothy 4:16; 2 Timothy 1:6; 1 Corinthians 4:1–2
- 18 Hebrews 13:3; 1 Timothy 6:21; 2 Timothy 4:22; 1 Corinthians 16:21; Hebrews 13:25
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
What Christ said to His disciples, that doth Paul also now advise. And what did Christ say? "Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves." (Matt. x. 16.) That is, be upon your guard, giving them no handle against you.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 13 (1889)
And again he says, in the Epistle to the Colossians: "Luke, the beloved physician, greets you." But surely if Luke, who always preached in company with Paul, and is called by him "the beloved," and with him performed the work of an evangelist, and was entrusted to hand down to us a Gospel, learned nothing different from him (Paul), as …
For this very reason He Himself also discoursed much unto the Jews in parables, "because they seeing saw not." For this, Paul likewise commanded "to know how we ought to answer every man."
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)