Colossenes 4
1 Domini, quod iustum est et æquum, servis præstate: scientes quod et vos Dominum habetis in cælo.
Masters, do what is right and fair by your slaves, for you know that you also have a Master – in heaven.
2 Orationi instate, vigilantes in ea in gratiarum actione:
Devote yourselves to prayer. Give your whole mind to it, and also offer thanksgiving;
3 orantes simul et pro nobis, ut Deus aperiat nobis ostium sermonis ad loquendum mysterium Christi (propter quod etiam vinctus sum)
and at the same time pray for us, so that God may give us an opening for our message, so that we may speak of the truths hidden in the Christ – the truths for which I am in chains!
4 ut manifestem illud ita ut oportet me loqui.
Then I will make them known, as I ought to do.
5 In sapientia ambulate ad eos, qui foris sunt: tempus redimentes.
Show tact in your behaviour to the outside world, making the most of every opportunity.
6 Sermo vester semper in gratia sale sit conditus, ut sciatis quomodo oporteat vos unicuique respondere.
Let your conversation always be kindly, but not bland, season it, as it were, with salt; be aware in each case of the answer you should be giving.
7 Quæ circa me sunt, omnia vobis nota faciet Tychicus charissimus frater, et fidelis minister, et conservus in Domino:
Our dear friend, Tychicus, will tell you all about me. He is a faithful minister, and a fellow servant in the Master’s cause.
8 quem misi ad vos ad hoc ipsum ut cognoscat, quæ circa vos sunt, et consoletur corda vestra,
I send him to you expressly that you may learn our circumstances, and that he may give you encouragement.
9 cum Onesimo charissimo, et fideli fratre, qui ex vobis est. Omnia, quæ hic aguntur, nota facient vobis.
With him will be Onesimus, our dear faithful friend, who is one of yourselves. They will tell you all that is going on here.
10 Salutat vos Aristarchus concaptivus meus, et Marcus consobrinus Barnabæ, de quo accepistis mandata: si venerit ad vos, excipite illum:
My fellow prisoner, Aristarchus, sends you his greeting, and Barnabas’s cousin, Mark, sends his. (You have received directions about him. If he comes to you, make him welcome.)
11 et Iesus, qui dicitur Iustus: qui sunt ex circumcisione: hi soli sunt adiutores mei in regno Dei, qui mihi fuerunt solatio.
Joshua, who is called Justus, also sends his greeting. These are the only converts from Judaism who have worked with me for the kingdom of God; I have found them a great comfort.
12 Salutat vos Epaphras, qui ex vobis est, servus Christi Iesu, semper solicitus pro vobis in orationibus, ut stetis perfecti, et pleni in omni voluntate Dei.
Epaphras, who is one of yourselves, sends you his greeting. He is a servant of Christ Jesus, and is always most earnest in your behalf in his prayers, praying that you may stand firm, with a matured faith and with a sure conviction of all that is in accordance with God’s will.
13 Testimonium enim illi perhibeo quod habet multum laborem pro vobis, et pro iis, qui sunt Laodiciæ, et qui Hierapoli.
I can bear testimony to the deep interest he takes in you, as well as in the followers at Laodicea and at Hierapolis.
14 Salutat vos Lucas medicus charissimus, et Demas.
Luke, our dear doctor, sends you his greeting, and Demas sends his.
15 Salutate fratres, qui sunt Laodiciæ, et Nympham, et quæ in domo eius est, ecclesiam.
Give my greeting to the followers at Laodicea, and to Nymphe, and to the church that meets at her house.
16 Et cum lecta fuerit apud vos epistola hæc, facite ut et in Laodicensium Ecclesia legatur: et eam, quæ Laodicensium est, vos legatis.
And when this letter has been read to you, see that it is also read before the church at Laodicea, and that you yourselves read the letter which will be forwarded from there.
17 Et dicite Archippo: Vide ministerium, quod accepisti in Domino, ut illud impleas.
Give this message to Archippus – “Take care to discharge to the best of your ability the office to which you were appointed in the Master’s cause.”
18 Salutatio, mea manu Pauli. Memores estote vinculorum meorum. Gratia vobiscum. Amen.
I, Paul, add this greeting in my own handwriting. Remember these chains of mine. God’s blessing be with you.
