KOLOSSENSE 4
1 Eienaars, behandel julle slawe reg en billik. Onthou dat julle ook 'n Eienaar het - in die hemel!
Julle moet aanhou bid en met wysheid optree
2 Volhard in die gebed. Bid terwyl julle geestelik waaksaam en dankbaar is.3 Bid terselfdertyd ook vir ons, dat God ons geleentheid sal gee om oor die geheim van Christus te praat. Dis hoekom ek in die gevangenis is!
4 Bid dat wanneer ek daaroor praat, ek dit so duidelik sal uitlê soos ek dit moet doen.
5 In julle verhouding met buitestanders moet julle slim optree deur elke kans te benut.
6 Met woorde wat altyd vriendelik en sinvol is, moet julle gereed staan om die regte antwoord vir elke mens te gee.
Laaste opdragte en groete
7 Tigikus, die geliefde broer en 'n getroue dienaar en mededienskneg van die Here, sal julle alles oor my omstandighede vertel.8 Hiervoor stuur ek hom na julle toe: dat julle kan weet hoe dit met ons gaan, en om julle moed in te praat.
9 Hy kom met Onesimus, die getroue en geliefde broer; hy is een van julle. Hulle sal julle alles vertel wat hier gebeur het.
10 Aristargus, wat saam met my 'n gevangene is, stuur groete, en ook Markus, Barnabas se neef. Oor hom het julle reeds opdragte ontvang. As hy daar kom, moet julle hom verwelkom.
11 Dieselfde geld ook vir Jesus wat Justus genoem word. Hulle twee is die enigste Jode wat met my saamwerk vir God se koningsheerskappy. Wat 'n troos is hulle vir my!
12 Epafras stuur vir julle groete. Hy is een van julle en 'n dienskneg van Christus Jesus. Hy bid altyd ernstig vir julle dat julle as volwasse gelowiges met volle oortuiging in alles die wil van God sal bly doen.
13 Ek kan regtig daarvan getuig dat hy hom baie oor julle bekommer, en ook oor al die gelowiges in Laodisea en Hiërapolis.
14 Lukas, ons geliefde dokter, stuur vir julle groete, en ook Demas.
15 Groet asseblief die broers en susters in Laodisea. Groet ook Nimfa en haar huisgemeente.
16 Verder, wanneer hierdie brief klaar by julle voorgelees is, moet julle sorg dat dit ook in die gemeente van Laodisea voorgelees word, en dat die een wat van Laodisea af sal kom, ook by julle voorgelees word.
17 Verder, sê vir Argippus: "Maak seker dat jy die bediening uitvoer wat jy in diens van die Here aanvaar het."
18 Hier is my groete in my eie handskrif - van Paulus.
Dink aan my hier in die tronk!
Mag die genade van God met julle wees.
COLOSSIANS 4
1 t Slave owners, be fair and honest with your slaves. Don't forget that you have a Master in heaven.
2 Never give up praying. And when you pray, keep alert and be thankful. 3 Be sure to pray that God will make a way for us to spread his message and explain the mystery about Christ, even though I am in jail for doing this.
4 Please pray that I will make the message as clear as possible.
5 t When you are with unbelievers, always make good use of the time.
6 t Be pleasant and hold their interest when you speak the message. Choose your words carefully and be ready to give answers to anyone who asks questions.Final Greetings
7 t t Tychicus is the dear friend, who faithfully works and serves the Lord with us, and he will give you the news about me. 8 I am sending him to cheer you up by telling you how we are getting along.
9 t Onesimus, the dear and faithful follower from your own group, is coming with him. The two of them will tell you everything that has happened here.
10 t Aristarchus is in jail with me. He sends greetings to you, and so does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. You have already been told to welcome Mark, if he visits you.
11 Jesus, who is known as Justus, sends his greetings. These three men are the only Jewish followers who have worked with me for the kingdom of God. They have given me much comfort.
12 t Your own Epaphras, who serves Christ Jesus, sends his greetings. He always prays hard that you may fully know what the Lord wants you to do and that you may do it completely.
13 I have seen how much trouble he has gone through for you and for the followers in Laodicea and Hierapolis.
14 t Our dear doctor Luke sends you his greetings, and so does Demas.
15 Give my greetings to the followers at Laodicea, especially to Nympha and the church that meets in her home.
16 After this letter has been read to your people, be sure to have it read in the church at Laodicea. And you should read the letter that I have sent to them.t
17 t Remind Archippus to do the work that the Lord has given him to do.
18 I am signing this letter myself: PAUL.
Don't forget that I am in jail.
I pray that God will be kind to you.