1Masters, supply your slaves with what is right and fair, since you know that you also have a Master in heaven.
2Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful,
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.
4Pray that I may declare it clearly, as I should.
5Act wisely toward outsiders, redeeming the time.
6Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
7Tychicus will tell you all the news about me. He is a beloved brother, a faithful minister, and a fellow servant in the Lord.
8I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know about us, and that he may encourage your hearts.
9With him I am sending Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you about everything here.
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.
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.
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.
13For I testify about him that he goes to great pains for you and for those at Laodicea and Hierapolis.
14Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas send you greetings.
15Greet the brothers in Laodicea, as well as Nympha and the church that meets at her house.
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.
17Tell Archippus: “See to it that you complete the ministry you have received in the Lord.”
18This greeting is in my own hand—Paul. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.
Colossians 4 Verse Notes
Col 4:7
Ephesians shows literary dependence on Colossians
Ephesians, also attributed to Paul, exhibits strong literary links and dependence on Colossians, with many parallel passages appearing as elaborations or conflations of ideas found in Colossians. This dependence, along with the fact that both letters claim to be delivered by Tychicus, suggests that Ephesians was written by someone who knew and built upon Colossians, a text whose Pauline authorship is already questioned.
Summarized by AI · The New Testament: Exploring the Christian Bible · Lecture 22: In Paul’s Name | The Disputed Letters · watch the clip
Col 4:14
Luke, the beloved physician, as Paul's companion
The tradition identifying the author as Luke, the Gentile physician, stems from references in Paul's letters. Colossians 4:14 mentions 'Luke, the beloved physician,' who is not among the circumcised, suggesting he was a Gentile and a companion of Paul. This figure is also mentioned in 2 Timothy 4:11 and Philemon 24.
Summarized by AI · The Genius of the Acts of the Apostles · Lecture 8: The Author of Acts | Who and When? · watch the clip
Luke's connection to Paul and medical language
The 'we' passages in Acts suggest the author was a companion of Paul. Paul's epistles mention Luke as a coworker (Philemon 24), 'the beloved physician' (Colossians 4:14), and being with Paul at the end of his life (2 Timothy 4:11). Furthermore, Luke's Gospel contains physician-friendly details, such as the proverb 'physician heal yourself' (Luke 4:23), specific anatomical details (Luke 6:6, 22:50), and a softened account of the woman with a hemorrhage (Luke 8:43-44 vs. Mark 5:26), which could have led to the inference of Luke the physician as the author.
Summarized by AI · The Mysteries of the Synoptic Gospels: Discovering Matthew, Mark, and Luke · Lecture 11: Who Wrote the Synoptic Gospels? · watch the clip
Luke's Authorship Linked to Paul's Companion
The author of Luke-Acts is identified as a companion of Paul due to the 'we' passages in Acts. Since Paul's letters name Luke as a companion (e.g., Colossians, 2 Timothy), early Christians likely speculated that Luke was the anonymous author of these texts, attributing the gospel to him.
Summarized by AI · The New Testament: Exploring the Christian Bible · Lecture 14: The Fourfold Gospel | Untangling Truth and Tradition · watch the clip
Identification of Luke as a Gentile Physician
The traditional identification of Luke as the author stems from a process of elimination among Paul's Gentile companions. Colossians 4:14 mentions 'Luke the beloved physician' among those who are not of the circumcision, suggesting he was a Gentile. This, combined with the Gentile emphasis in Acts, led early Christians to conclude that Luke was the author.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · Was Luke Written by Luke? And Why Should We Care? · watch the clip
Col 4:16
Pseudepigraphy complicates historical reconstruction
When a text is identified as pseudepigraphical, its individual details cannot be fully trusted for historical reconstruction. For instance, if the Epistle to the Laodiceans, a 4th-century forgery, claims to be sent to the Laodiceans, it doesn't mean it was actually sent to the 1st-century church there. Similarly, 2 Thessalonians' descriptions of situations or audiences might be literary fictions, making it difficult to discern fact from fiction.
Summarized by AI · The New Testament: Exploring the Christian Bible · Lecture 22: In Paul’s Name | The Disputed Letters · watch the clip
