Colossians 4
CHAPTER 4
Masters, give to your servants what is just and equal. Knowing you also have a master in heaven.
2 Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving, 3 meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for preaching the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for the sake of which I am also in chains. 4 Pray that I may speak boldly, as I should.
5 Walk in wisdom toward those that are without, redeeming the time. 6 Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.
Greetings and news
7 All my affairs shall Tychicus make known to you, the beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow-servant in the Lord, 8 whom I have sent to you for this very purpose, that you may know our state and that he may comfort your hearts. 9 Together with Onesimus, the faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you, they shall make known to you all things that are done here.
10 Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, with Mark the cousin of Barnabas (about whom you received instructions: if he comes to you, welcome him), 11 and Jesus who is called Justus, who are of the circumcision. These only are my fellow-workers to the kingdom of God, men that have been a comfort to me. 12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always striving for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God. 13 For I bear witness that he has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea and for those in Hierapolis. 14 Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas greet you. 15 Greet the brothers that are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church that is in their house. 16 And when this letter has been read among you, take steps to have it read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and you also read the letter from Laodicea. 17 And say to Archippus: Take heed to the service which you have received in the Lord, that you fulfil it.
18 I Paul write this salutation with my own hand. Remember my bonds. Grace be with you.
Commentary
4:3 We should also ask God to give us opportunities for preaching.
4:4 If even Paul felt he ought to preach more boldly than he did, and asked others to pray that he might do this... we shouldn’t be surprised if we feel the same.
4:5 We shouldn’t waste our time, but redeem it. The world is full of opportunities to waste our time, to fritter it away on the internet or entertainment. But we should use every moment we can in the Lord’s service; for we are His servants.
4:17 God gives us all opportunities, potentials and maybe specific things which He wants us to achieve in His service; we must not flunk out of our calling.
4:18 Remember my bonds- In this almost pathetic cry, we sense Paul’s frustration at the limitations of his situation (as in Acts 26:29 “except these bonds”). When we feel the same, let’s realize that all God’s servants have felt similar.
