Chapter 4

¹You who are masters must treat your slaves justly and fairly, and remember that you have a Master too, in heaven.

²Be persistent in prayer and wide awake about it when you give thanks. ³Pray for me too, that God may give me an opening for the message, and let me tell the secret of Christ on account of which I am kept in prison ⁴until I can make clear to the authorities why I cannot help telling it. ⁵Use wisdom in dealing with outsiders, making the most of your opportunities. ⁶Always put your message attractively, and yet pointedly, and be prepared to give every inquirer a fitting answer.

⁷Our dear brother Tychicus, my faithful helper and fellow-servant in the Lord’s work, will tell you all about me. ⁸I am sending him to you for the express purpose of letting you know my circumstances, and of cheering your hearts. ⁹And with him I send my dear, faithful brother Onesimus, who is one of your own number. They will tell you all about matters here.

¹⁰Aristarchus, my fellow-prisoner, wishes to be remembered to you, and so does Barnabas’ cousin Mark. (About him you have had instructions; if he comes to see you, make him welcome.) ¹¹So also does Jesus who is called Justus. They are the only ones among the converts from Judaism who have worked with me for the reign of God who have proved a comfort to me. ¹²Epaphras, one of your own number, a slave of Christ Jesus, wishes to be remembered to you. He is always standing up for you in his prayers that you may stand fast, like men of mature convictions, whatever God’s will for you may be. ¹³I can testify how anxious he is about you and the brothers in Laodicea and Hierapolis. ¹⁴Our dear Luke, the doctor, and Demas wish to be remembered to you. ¹⁵Remember me to the brothers in Laodicea and to Nympha and the church that meets at her house. ¹⁶When this letter has been read to you, have it read to the church at Laodicea also, and see that you read the letter that is coming from there. ¹⁷And tell Archippus, “See that you perform the Christian service you have been assigned.”

¹⁸This farewell is in my own hand, from Paul. Remember that I am in prison. God bless you.