{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 4,5 Kol 4,5
Let the word of {Some ancient authorities read the Lord: others, God.}Christ dwell in you {Or, richly in all wisdom; teaching &c.}richly; in all wisdom teaching and admonishing {Or, yourselves}one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts unto God.
For what have I to do with judging them that are without? Do not ye judge them that are within?
{Greek: buying up the opportunity.}redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
So teach us to number our days,That we may get us a heart of wisdom.
But them that are without God judgeth. Put away the wicked man from among yourselves.
Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and {Or, simple}harmless as doves.
that ye may walk becomingly toward them that are without, and may have need of nothing.
For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I rejoice therefore over you: but I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple unto that which is evil.
Moreover he must have good testimony from them that are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
howbeit in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that I might instruct others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue.
Brethren, be not children in mind: yet in malice be ye babes, but in mind be {Greek: of full age. Compare chapter 2:6.}men.
In the law it is written, {Isaiah 28:11 f.}By men of strange tongues and by the lips of strangers will I speak unto this people; and not even thus will they hear me, saith the Lord.
Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to the unbelieving: but prophesying is for a sign, not to the unbelieving, but to them that believe.
If therefore the whole church be assembled together and all speak with tongues, and there come in men unlearned or unbelieving, will they not say that ye are mad?
But if all prophesy, and there come in one unbelieving or unlearned, he is {Or, convicted}reproved by all, he is judged by all;
the secrets of his heart are made manifest; and so he will fall down on his face and worship God, declaring that God is {Or, in}among you indeed.
In like manner, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, even if any obey not the word, they may without the word be gained by the {Or, manner of life verse 16}behavior of their wives;
Look therefore carefully how ye walk, not as unwise, but as wise;
{Greek: buying up the opportunity.}redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
Wherefore be ye not foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
But if any of you lacketh wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all liberally and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
Who is wise and understanding among you? let him show by his good life his works in meekness of wisdom.
But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without {Or, doubtfulness Or, partiality}variance, without hypocrisy.