Colossians 4

Colossians · Chapter 4

Colossians 4:2

1Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven.2Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;3Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds:4That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.5Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.6Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.7All my state shall Tychicus declare unto you, who is a beloved brother, and a faithful minister and fellowservant in the Lord:8Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that he might know your estate, and comfort your hearts;9With Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They shall make known unto you all things which are done here.10Aristarchus my fellowprisoner saluteth you, and Marcus, sister’s son to Barnabas, (touching whom ye received commandments: if he come unto you, receive him;)11And Jesus, which is called Justus, who are of the circumcision. These only are my fellowworkers unto the kingdom of God, which have been a comfort unto me.12Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.13For I bear him record, that he hath a great zeal for you, and them that are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis.14Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you.15Salute the brethren which are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church which is in his house.16And when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that ye likewise read the epistle from Laodicea.17And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it.18The salutation by the hand of me Paul. Remember my bonds. Grace be with you. Amen.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
2Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful,Continue stedfastly in prayer, watching therein with thanksgiving;

In context

AI-assisted, sourced

Colossians 4:2-6Prayer and wise speech

About Colossians 4Masters are to treat their servants justly, "knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven." Paul asks the Colossians to continue in prayer and pray for him in his bonds, to "walk in wisdom toward them that are without," and to let their speech be "alway with grace, seasoned with salt." He sends Tychicus and Onesimus with news, passes on greetings from Aristarchus, Mark, Epaphras, Luke and others, and signs, "Remember my bonds." Colossians 4:1Colossians 4:2Colossians 4:3Colossians 4:5Colossians 4:6Colossians 4:7Colossians 4:9Colossians 4:10Colossians 4:12Colossians 4:14Colossians 4:18Colossians overview

Why this verse matters here"Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving." 1 Thessalonians 5:17 says, "Pray without ceasing." Colossians 4:21 Thessalonians 5:17

Who, where and when in this chapter

Original Greek words

EnglishGreekSay itStrong'sMeaning
In prayerπροσευχῇproseuchēaG4335
prayer

προσευχή (proseuchē) προσ-ευχή, -ῆς, ἡ (προσεύχομαι), [in LXX chiefly for תְּפִלָּה ;] 1. prayer to God: Mat.17:21 (WH, R, txt., om.) Mat.21:22, Mrk.9:29, Luk.22:45, Act.3:1 6:4 10:31, Rom.12:12, 1Co.7:5, Col.4:2; pl., Act.2:42 10:4, Rom.1:10, Eph.1:16 Col.4:12, 1Th.1:2, Phm 4 22, 1Pe.3:7 4:7, Rev.5:8 8:3-4; οἶκος προσευχῆς, Mat.21:13, Mrk.11:17, Luk.19:46" (LXX) ; π. καὶ δέησις, Eph.6:18, Php.4:6; pl., 1Ti.2:1 5:5; ἡ π. τοῦ θεοῦ, prayer to God (ef. Wis.16:28), Luk.6:12; πρὸς τ. θεόν, before ὑπέρ, Act.12:5; pl., Rom.15:30; Hebraistically (B1., § 38, 3), προσευχῇ προσεύχεσθαι, Jas.5:17 (EV, prayed fervently). …

do continue steadfastlyπροσκαρτερεῖτεproskartereiteG4342
to continue in/with

προσκαρτερέω (proskartereō) προσ-καρτερέω, -ῶ (καρτερός, strong, stedfast) [in LXX: Num.13:21 (חָזַק hith.), Tob.5:8 א, Da Th Su 1:6* ;] to attend constantly, continue stedfastly, adhere to, wait on: with dative of person(s), Mrk.3:9, Act.8:13 10:7; with dative of thing(s), Act.1:14 2:42 6:4, Rom.12:12, Col.4:2; before ἐν, Act.2:46; εἰς, Rom.13:6.† (AS)

watchingγρηγοροῦντεςgrēgorountesG1127
to keep watch

γρηγορέω (grēgoreō) γρηγορέω, -ῶ, = Attic ἐργήγορα, pf. of ἐγείρω, which see, [in LXX (later bks. only) chiefly for שׁקד ;] 1. to be awake; metaphorically, of being alive, 1Th.5:10. 2. to watch: Mat.24:43 26:38, 40 Mrk.13:34 14:34, 37 Luk.12:37, 39; metaphorically, Mat.24:42 25:13 26:41, Mrk.13:35, 37 14:38, Act.20:31, 1Co.16:13, 1Th.5:6, 1Pe.5:8, Rev.3:2, 3 16:15; before ἐν, Col.4:2. (Cf. δια-γρηγορέω).† SYN.: see: ἀγρθπνέω. (AS)

inἐνenG1722
in/on/among

ἐν (en) ἐν, prep, (the most frequently of all in NT), with dative (= Heb. בְּ, Lat. in, with abl.). I. Of place, with dative of thing(s), of person(s), in, within, on, at, by, among: ἐν τ. πόλει, Luk.7:37; τ. οφθαλμῷ, Mat.7:3; τ. κοιλίᾳ, Mat.12:40; τ. ὄρει, 2Pe.1:18; τ. θρόνῳ, Rev.3:21; τ. δεξιᾷ τ. θεοῦ, Rom.8:34; ἐν ἡμῖν Abbott-Smith has ὑμῖν., Luk.1:1; of books, ἐν τ. βιβλίῳ, Gal.3:10; τ. νόμῳ, Mat.12:5, al.; ἐν τοῖς τ. Πατρός, in my Father's house (RV; cf. M, Pr., 103), Luk.2:49; trop., of the region of thought or feeling, ἐν τ. καρδίᾳ (-αις), Mat.5:28, 2Co.4:6, al.; τ. συνειδήσεσιν, 2Co.5:11; af …

itαὐτῇautēaG0846
it/s/he

αὐτός (autos) αὐτός, -ή, -ό, determinative pron., in late Gk. much more frequently than in cl. (WM, 178f.; Jannaris, HGG, §1399). 1. Emphatic (so always in nom. exc. when preceded by the art., see infr., iii); (1) self (ipse), expressing opposition, distinction, exclusion, etc., αὐ. ἐκχυθήσεται, Luk.5:37; αὐ. ἐγινώσκεν, Jhn.2:25; αὐ.ὑμεῖς, Jhn.3:28; καὶ αὐ. ἐγώ, Rom.15:14; αὐ. Ἰησοῦς, Jhn.2:24; αὐ. καὶ οἱ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ, Mrk.2:25; ὑμεῖς αὐ., Mrk.6:31; esp. (as freq in cl.) αὐ. ὁ, Mat.3:4, Mrk.6:17, Jhn.16:27, 1Th.3:11, al.; in late Gk., sometimes weakened, ἐν αὐτῇ τ. ὥρᾳ, in that hour, Luk.10:21 (M, Pr., 91; …

withἐνenG1722
in/on/among

ἐν (en) ἐν, prep, (the most frequently of all in NT), with dative (= Heb. בְּ, Lat. in, with abl.). I. Of place, with dative of thing(s), of person(s), in, within, on, at, by, among: ἐν τ. πόλει, Luk.7:37; τ. οφθαλμῷ, Mat.7:3; τ. κοιλίᾳ, Mat.12:40; τ. ὄρει, 2Pe.1:18; τ. θρόνῳ, Rev.3:21; τ. δεξιᾷ τ. θεοῦ, Rom.8:34; ἐν ἡμῖν Abbott-Smith has ὑμῖν., Luk.1:1; of books, ἐν τ. βιβλίῳ, Gal.3:10; τ. νόμῳ, Mat.12:5, al.; ἐν τοῖς τ. Πατρός, in my Father's house (RV; cf. M, Pr., 103), Luk.2:49; trop., of the region of thought or feeling, ἐν τ. καρδίᾳ (-αις), Mat.5:28, 2Co.4:6, al.; τ. συνειδήσεσιν, 2Co.5:11; af …

thanksgiving;εὐχαριστίᾳ·eucharistiaG2169
thankfulness

εὐχαριστία (eucharistia) εὐχαριστία, -ας, ἡ (εὐχάριστος), [in LXX: Est.8:13, Wis.16:28, Sir.37:11, 2Ma.2:27 * ;] 1. thankfulness, gratitude (Polyb.; Es, Sir, 2Mac, ll. with): Act.24:3. 2. giving of thanks, thanksgiving (so in π. and Inscr.; M, Th., 41 f.): 1Co.14:16, 2Co.4:15, Eph.5:4, Php.4:6, Col.2:7 4:2, 1Th.3:9, 1Ti.4:3-4, Rev.4:9 7:12; with dative of person(s), 2Co.9:11 (cf. τ. θεοῦ, Wis, l.with); pl., 2Co.9:12, 1Ti.2:1 (Cremer, 904).† (AS)

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.