Colossenses 4

¹ Ye masters, doe vnto your seruants, that which is iust, and equall, knowing that ye also haue a master in heauen.

² He adds certain general exhortations, and at length ends his epistle with various familiar and godly salutations.Prayers must be continual and earnest.Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;

³ Those who minister the word, must especially be entrusted to the prayers of the Church.Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us aAn open and free mouth to preach the Gospel.door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds:

⁴ That I may vtter it, as it becommeth mee to speake.

⁵ In all parts of our life, we ought to have good consideration even of those who are outside of the Church.WalkAdvisedly and cautiously.in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming theSeek occasion to win them, even though you lose something of your own by it.time.

⁶ Our speech and talk must be applied to the profit of the hearers.Let your speech [be] alway withFit for the profit of your neighbour.grace, seasoned withAgainst this is set filthy communication, as in (Eph_4:29).salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

⁷ Tychicus our beloued brother and faithfull minister, and fellow seruant in the Lord, shall declare vnto you my whole state:

⁸ Whom I haue sent vnto you for the same purpose that he might know your state, & might comfort your hearts,

⁹ With Onesimus a faithfull and a beloued brother, who is one of you. They shall shew you of all things here.

¹⁰ Aristarchus my prison fellow saluteth you, and Marcus, Barnabas cousin (touching whom ye receiued commandements. If he come vnto you, receiue him)

¹¹ And Jesus, which is called Justus, who are of the circumcision. TheseHence, Peter was not at that time in Rome.only [are my] fellowworkers unto theIn the Gospel.kingdom of God, which have been a comfort unto me.

¹² Epaphras the seruant of Christ, which is one of you, saluteth you, and alwayes striueth for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect, and full in all the will of God.

¹³ For I beare him record, that he hath a great zeale for you, and for them of Laodicea, & them of Hierapolis.

¹⁴ Luke the beloued physician greeteth you, and Demas.

¹⁵ Salute the brethren which are of Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the Church which is in his house.

¹⁶ And when this Epistle is read of you, cause that it be read in the Church of the Laodiceans also, and that ye likewise reade the Epistle written from Laodicea.

¹⁷ And say to Archippus, Take heede to the ministerie, that thou hast receiued in the Lorde, that thou fulfill it.

¹⁸ The salutation by the hand of me Paul. Remember my bands. Grace be with you, Amen. Written from Rome to the Colossians, and sent by Tychicus, and Onesimus.