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Colossians 4
1Masters, give to your servants that which is just and equal, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.
2Continue steadfastly in prayer, watching in it with thanksgiving,
3praying together for us also, that God may open to us a door for , to speak the mystery of , for which I am also in bonds,
4that I may reveal it as I ought to speak.
5Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time.
6Let your speech always be with , seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.
7All my affairs will be made known to you by Tychicus, the beloved brother, faithful servant, and fellow bondservant in the Lord.
8I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that he may know your circumstances and comfort your hearts,
9together with Onesimus, the faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will make known to you everything that is going on here.
10Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, greets you, and Mark the cousin of Barnabas (concerning whom you received instructions, “if he comes to you, receive him”),
11and Jesus who is called Justus. These are my only fellow workers for God’s Kingdom who are of the circumcision, men who have been a comfort to me.
12Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of , salutes you, always striving for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.
13For I testify about him that he has great zeal for you, and for those in Laodicea, and for those in Hierapolis.
14Luke the beloved physician and Demas greet you.
15Greet the brothers who are in Laodicea, with Nymphas and the assembly that is in his house.
16When this letter has been read among you, cause it to be read also in the assembly of the Laodiceans, and that you also read the letter from Laodicea.
17Tell Archippus, “Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you fulfill it.”
18I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my chains. be with you. Amen.
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Questions this passage answers
What does the Bible say about work?
Scripture presents work as something given before sin entered the world, made harder by the curse, and redeemed in Christ so that ordinary labour is done for the Lord rather than for people. It commands diligence, honest dealing, rest, and provision for one's household, and it refuses to make a person's worth depend on their job.
Who is Jesus?
Scripture introduces Jesus of Nazareth as a real man in real history who is also the eternal Word through whom everything was made. He is the promised Christ of Israel, the Son of God, crucified under Pontius Pilate, raised on the third day, and now confessed as Lord. The Bible never presents him only as a teacher, and it never lets him remain a private opinion. It records him asking his own followers the question and waiting for their answer.
Is Jesus God?
Scripture says yes, and it does not say it in one verse only. Jesus is called God directly, is said to have made all things, forgives sins, receives worship, and takes to himself words that the Old Testament reserves for Yahweh. At the same time he prays to the Father, obeys the Father and calls the Father greater. The Bible holds both together without apology, and the reader who wants an honest answer has to read the whole case rather than one proof text.
How do I forgive someone who hurt me?
Biblical forgiveness is the decision to release a debt you have every right to collect, made because God released yours. It is not pretending the wrong was small, and it does not always mean reconciliation or renewed trust. It usually begins as an act of obedience and becomes a feeling later, often much later.