{Greek: lords.}Masters, render unto your {Greek: Bondservants.}servants that which is just and {Greek: equality.}equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven.
Continue stedfastly in prayer, watching therein with thanksgiving;
withal praying for us also, that God may open unto us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds;
that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.
Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, {Greek: buying up the opportunity.}redeeming the time.
Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer each one.
All my affairs shall Tychicus make known unto you, the beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow-servant in the Lord:
whom I have sent unto you for this very purpose, that ye may know our state, and that he may comfort your hearts;
together with Onesimus, the faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They shall make known unto you all things that are done here.
Aristarchus my fellow-prisoner saluteth you, and Mark, the cousin of Barnabas (touching whom ye received commandments; if he come unto you, receive him),
and Jesus that is called Justus, who are of the circumcision: these only are my fellow-workers unto the kingdom of God, men that have been a comfort unto me.
Epaphras, who is one of you, a {Greek: bondservant.}servant of Christ Jesus, saluteth you, always striving for you in his prayers, that ye may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God.
For I bear him witness, that he hath much labor for you, and for them in Laodicea, and for them in Hierapolis.
Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas salute you.
Salute the brethren that are in Laodicea, and {The Greek may represent Nympha.}Nymphas, and the church that is in {Some ancient authorities read her.}their house.
And when {Greek: the}this epistle hath been read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that ye also read the epistle from Laodicea.
And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it.
The salutation of me Paul with mine own hand. Remember my bonds. Grace be with you.
Querverweise zu Kolosser 4,4 Kol 4,4
Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known.
Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer each one.
What I tell you in the darkness, speak ye in the light; and what ye hear in the ear, proclaim upon the house-tops.
But Peter and the apostles answered and said, We must obey God rather than men.
And now, Lord, look upon their threatenings: and grant unto thy {Greek: bondservants.}servants to speak thy word with all boldness,
And my {Or, word}speech and my {Greek: thing preached.}preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
Having therefore such a hope, we use great boldness of speech,
that your faith should not {Greek: be.}stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
Therefore seeing we have this ministry, even as we obtained mercy, we faint not:
but we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by the manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.
And even if our {See marginal note on chapter 2:12.}gospel is veiled, it is veiled in them that {Or, are perishing}perish:
in whom the god of this {Or, age}world hath blinded the {Greek: thoughts. Chapter 4:4, 11:3}minds of the unbelieving, {Or, that they should not see the light…image of God}that the {Greek: illumination.}light of the {See marginal note on chapter 2:12.}gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn upon them.
But thanks be unto God, who always leadeth us in triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest through us the savor of his knowledge in every place.
For we are a sweet savor of Christ unto God, in them that {Or, are being saved}are saved, and in them that {Or, are perishing}perish;
to the one a savor from death unto death; to the other a savor from life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?
For we are not as the many, {Or, making merchandise of the word of God. Compare 2 Peter 2:3}corrupting the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God, speak we in Christ.
for which I am an ambassador in {Greek: a chain.}chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.