Colossians 4

Learning to read Greek? Start with the alphabet.

Original

Modern

Prayerful Speech and Actions

¹Οἱ κύριοι τὸ δίκαιον καὶ τὴν ἰσότητα τοῖς δούλοις παρέχεσθε εἰδότες ὅτι καὶ ὑμεῖς ἔχετε Κύριον ἐν οὐρανῷ

¹Masters, supply your slaves with what is right and fair, since you know that you also have a Master in heaven.

²Τῇ προσευχῇ προσκαρτερεῖτε γρηγοροῦντες ἐν αὐτῇ ἐν εὐχαριστίᾳ

²Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful,

³προσευχόμενοι ἅμα καὶ περὶ ἡμῶν ἵνα ὁ Θεὸς ἀνοίξῃ ἡμῖν θύραν τοῦ λόγου λαλῆσαι τὸ μυστήριον τοῦ Χριστοῦ δι’ ὃ καὶ δέδεμαι

³as you pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains.

⁴ἵνα φανερώσω αὐτὸ ὡς δεῖ με λαλῆσαι

⁴Pray that I may declare it clearly, as I should.

⁵Ἐν σοφίᾳ περιπατεῖτε πρὸς τοὺς ἔξω τὸν καιρὸν ἐξαγοραζόμενοι

⁵Act wisely toward outsiders, redeeming the time.

⁶ὁ λόγος ὑμῶν πάντοτε ἐν χάριτι ἅλατι ἠρτυμένος εἰδέναι πῶς δεῖ ὑμᾶς ἑνὶ ἑκάστῳ ἀποκρίνεσθαι

⁶Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

Greetings from Paul’s Fellow Workers

⁷Τὰ κατ’ ἐμὲ πάντα γνωρίσει ὑμῖν Τυχικὸς ὁ ἀγαπητὸς ἀδελφὸς καὶ πιστὸς διάκονος καὶ σύνδουλος ἐν Κυρίῳ

⁷Tychicus will tell you all the news about me. He is a beloved brother, a faithful minister, and a fellow servant in the Lord.

⁸ὃν ἔπεμψα πρὸς ὑμᾶς εἰς αὐτὸ τοῦτο ἵνα γνῶτε τὰ περὶ ἡμῶν καὶ παρακαλέσῃ τὰς καρδίας ὑμῶν

⁸I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know about us, and that he may encourage your hearts.

⁹σὺν Ὀνησίμῳ τῷ πιστῷ καὶ ἀγαπητῷ ἀδελφῷ ὅς ἐστιν ἐξ ὑμῶν πάντα ὑμῖν γνωρίσουσιν τὰ ὧδε

⁹With him I am sending Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you about everything here.

¹⁰Ἀσπάζεται ὑμᾶς Ἀρίσταρχος ὁ συναιχμάλωτός μου καὶ Μᾶρκος ὁ ἀνεψιὸς Βαρνάβα περὶ οὗ ἐλάβετε ἐντολάς ἐὰν ἔλθῃ πρὸς ὑμᾶς δέξασθε αὐτόν

¹⁰My fellow prisoner Aristarchus sends you greetings, as does Mark the cousin of Barnabas. You have already received instructions about him: If he comes to you, welcome him.

¹¹καὶ Ἰησοῦς ὁ λεγόμενος Ἰοῦστος οἱ ὄντες ἐκ περιτομῆς οὗτοι μόνοι συνεργοὶ εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ οἵτινες ἐγενήθησάν μοι παρηγορία

¹¹Jesus, who is called Justus, also sends greetings. These are the only Jews among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me.

¹²Ἀσπάζεται ὑμᾶς Ἐπαφρᾶς ὁ ἐξ ὑμῶν δοῦλος Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ πάντοτε ἀγωνιζόμενος ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν ἐν ταῖς προσευχαῖς ἵνα σταθῆτε τέλειοι καὶ πεπληροφορημένοι ἐν παντὶ θελήματι τοῦ Θεοῦ

¹²Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends you greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, so that you may stand mature and fully assured in the full will of God.

¹³μαρτυρῶ γὰρ αὐτῷ ὅτι ἔχει πολὺν πόνον ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν καὶ τῶν ἐν Λαοδικείᾳ καὶ τῶν ἐν Ἱερα‿ πόλει

¹³For I testify about him that he goes to great pains for you and for those at Laodicea and Hierapolis.

¹⁴Ἀσπάζεται ὑμᾶς Λουκᾶς ὁ ἰατρὸς ὁ ἀγαπητὸς καὶ Δημᾶς

¹⁴Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas send you greetings.

Signature and Final Instructions

¹⁵Ἀσπάσασθε τοὺς ἐν Λαοδικείᾳ ἀδελφοὺς καὶ Νύμφαν καὶ τὴν κατ’ οἶκον αὐτῆς ἐκκλησίαν

¹⁵Greet the brothers in Laodicea, as well as Nympha and the church that meets at her house.

¹⁶Καὶ ὅταν ἀναγνωσθῇ παρ’ ὑμῖν ἡ ἐπιστολή ποιήσατε ἵνα καὶ ἐν τῇ Λαοδικέων ἐκκλησίᾳ ἀναγνωσθῇ καὶ τὴν ἐκ Λαοδικείας ἵνα καὶ ὑμεῖς ἀναγνῶτε

¹⁶After this letter has been read among you, make sure that it is also read in the church of the Laodiceans, and that you in turn read the letter from Laodicea.

¹⁷Καὶ εἴπατε Ἀρχίππῳ Βλέπε τὴν διακονίαν ἣν παρέλαβες ἐν Κυρίῳ ἵνα αὐτὴν πληροῖς

¹⁷Tell Archippus: “See to it that you complete the ministry you have received in the Lord.”

¹⁸Ὁ ἀσπασμὸς τῇ ἐμῇ χειρὶ Παύλου Μνημονεύετέ μου τῶν δεσμῶν Ἡ χάρις μεθ’ ὑμῶν

¹⁸This greeting is in my own hand—Paul.

Remember my chains.

Grace be with you.^a