Online Bible: New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures

1 YOU masters, keep dealing out what is righteous and what is fair to [your] slaves, knowing that YOU also have a Master in heaven.

2 Be persevering in prayer, remaining awake in it with thanksgiving, 3 at the same time praying also for us, that God may open a door of utterance to us, to speak the sacred secret about the Christ, for which, in fact, I am in prison bonds; 4 so that I shall make it manifest as I ought to speak.

5 Go on walking in wisdom toward those on the outside, buying out the opportune time for yourselves. 6 Let YOUR utterance be always with graciousness, seasoned with salt, so as to know how YOU ought to give an answer to each one.

7 All my affairs Tych´i·cus, [my] beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow slave in [the] Lord, will make known to YOU. 8 For the very purpose of YOUR knowing the things having to do with us and that he may comfort YOUR hearts, I am sending him to YOU 9 along with O·nes´i·mus, my faithful and beloved brother, who is from among YOU. All the things here they will make known to YOU.

10 Ar·is·tar´chus my fellow captive sends YOU his greetings, and so does Mark the cousin of Bar´na·bas, (concerning whom YOU received commands to welcome him if ever he comes to YOU,) 11 and Jesus who is called Justus, these being of those circumcised. Only these are my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and these very ones have become a strengthening aid to me. 12 Ep´a·phras, who is from among YOU, a slave of Christ Jesus, sends YOU his greetings, always exerting himself in YOUR behalf in [his] prayers, that YOU may finally stand complete and with firm conviction in all the will of God. 13 I indeed bear him witness that he puts himself to great effort in behalf of YOU and of those at La·o·di·ce´a and of those at Hi·e·rap´o·lis.

14 Luke the beloved physician sends YOU his greetings, and so does De´mas. 15 Give my greetings to the brothers at La·o·di·ce´a and to Nym´pha and to the congregation at her house. 16 And when this letter has been read among YOU, arrange that it also be read in the congregation of the La·o·di·ce´ans and that YOU also read the one from La·o·di·ce´a. 17 Also, tell Ar·chip´pus: “Keep watching the ministry which you accepted in [the] Lord, that you fulfill it.”

18 [Here is] my greeting, Paul’s, in my own hand. Continue bearing my [prison] bonds in mind. The undeserved kindness be with YOU.