Ninyi mnamtumikia Bwana Kristo. Mtu atendaye uovu atalipwa kwa uovu wake, wala hakuna atakayependelewa. Ninyi mabwana, watendeeni watumwa wenu haki na ilivyo sawa mkitambua ya kwamba ninyi pia mnaye Bwana mbinguni.

Maagizo Zaidi

Dumuni katika maombi, mkikesha na kushukuru. Pia tuom beeni na sisi ili Mungu atufungulie mlango tupate kutoa ujumbe wetu na kuitangaza siri ya Kristo ambayo kwa ajili yake mimi nimefungwa gerezani. Ombeni kwamba niwezeshwe kuitangaza Injili kwa ufasaha, kama inipasavyo kusema.

Muwe na hekima katika uhusiano wenu na watu wasioamini, mkiutumia wakati wenu vizuri. Mazungumzo yenu yawe ya unyen yekevu wakati wote, yawe ya kuvutia, ili mjue jinsi ya kumjibu kila mtu.

Tikiko atawaelezeeni habari zangu zote. Yeye ni ndugu mpendwa, mfanyakazi mwaminifu na mtumishi mwenzangu katika Bwana. Nimemtuma kwenu kwa madhumuni kwamba mpate kufahamu hali yetu na pia awatie moyo. Anakuja pamoja na Onesmo ndugu yetu mpendwa na mwaminifu, ambaye ni mtu wa kwenu. Watawaelezeeni mambo yote yanayotendeka huku.

Salamu Na Maagizo Ya Mwisho

10 Aristarko aliyefungwa gerezani pamoja nami anawasalimu, hali kadhalika Marko, binamu yake Barnaba, anawasalimu. Mmek wisha kupokea maagizo yanayomhusu. Akija kwenu, mpokeeni. 11 Na Yesu, yule aitwaye Yusto, pia anawasalimuni. Hawa tu, ndio Way ahudi kati ya watu tunaofanya nao kazi kwa ajili ya Ufalme wa Mungu, nao wamekuwa faraja kwangu. 12 Epafra, ambaye ni mtu wa kwenu, na mtumishi wa Kristo Yesu , anawasalimu. Yeye anawaombea kwa bidii kila wakati kwamba msimame imara katika mapenzi yote ya Mungu mkiwa mmekomaa na mkiwa thabiti. 13 Ninashuhudia kwamba anaomba kwa bidii kwa ajili yenu na kwa ajili ya ndugu wa Laodikia na Hierapoli. 14 Luka, yule daktari mpendwa, pamoja na Dema, wanawasalimu. 15 Nisalimieni ndugu wote wa Laodikia na pia Nimfa pamoja na kanisa linalokutana nyumbani kwake.

16 Mkisha somewa barua hii, hakikisheni kuwa inasomwa pia na ndugu wa Laodikia. Na ninyi pia hakikisheni kuwa mnasoma barua inayotoka Laodikia.

17 Mwambieni Arkipo hivi: “Hakikisha kuwa unakamilisha ile huduma ambayo umeipokea katika Bwana.”

Enyi mabwana, wapeni kilicho chema na chenye haki watumwa wenu. Kumbukeni kuwa Mkuu wenu yuko mbinguni.

Mambo ya Kufanya

Msiache kuomba kamwe. Iweni tayari kwa lolote kwa kuomba na kushukuru. Mtuombee na sisi pia, ili Mungu atupe fursa za kuwaeleza watu ujumbe wake. Nimefungwa kwa sababu ya hili. Lakini ombeni ili tuendelee kuwaeleza watu siri ya kweli ambayo Mungu ameiweka wazi kuhusu Kristo. Niombeeni ili niseme yanayonipasa kusema, ili niweze kuiweka wazi kweli hii kwa kila mtu.

Iweni na hekima kwa namna mnavyochukuliana pamoja na wale wasioamini. Tumieni muda wenu vizuri kadri mwezavyo. Kila mnapozungumza pamoja na walio nje ya kundi lenu, muwe wema na wenye hekima. Ndipo mtaweza kumjibu kila mtu ipasavyo.

Habari Kuhusu Wale Walio Pamoja na Paulo

Tikiko ni ndugu yangu mpendwa katika Kristo. Yeye ni msaidizi mwaminifu na anamtumikia Bwana pamoja nami. Atawaambia kila kitu kuhusu mimi. Hii ndiyo sababu ninamtuma, ninataka mfahamu hali yetu, na ninamtuma awatie moyo ninyi. Ninamtuma yeye pamoja na Onesimo, ndugu mpendwa na mwaminifu kutoka kwenye kundi lenu. Watawaeleza kila kitu kilichotokea hapa.

10 Aristarko, aliyefungwa pamoja nami humu gerezani anawasalimu. Marko, binamu yake Barnaba anawasalimu pia. (Nimekwisha kuwaambia kuhusu Marko. Ikiwa atakuja, mpokeeni.) 11 Pia pokeeni salamu toka kwa Yesu, aitwaye pia Yusto. Hawa ni Wayahudi waamini pekee wanaofanya kazi pamoja nami kwa ajili ya ufalme wa Mungu. Wamekuwa faraja kubwa sana kwangu.

12 Epafra, mtumishi mwingine wa Yesu Kristo, kutoka kwenu anawasalimu. Yeye anahangaika kwa ajili yenu kwa kuwaombea mara kwa mara, ili mkue kiroho na kupokea kila kitu ambacho Mungu anataka kwa ajili yangu. 13 Ninafahamu kwamba amefanya kazi kwa bidii kwa ajili yenu ninyi na kwa ajili ya watu wa Laodikia na Hierapoli. 14 Pokeeni pia salamu kutoka kwa Dema na kutoka kwa rafiki yetu mpendwa Luka ambaye ni tabibu.

15 Wasalimuni kaka na dada zetu walioko Laodikia. Msalimuni pia Nimfa na kanisa lililo katika nyumba yake. 16 Baada ya kusoma barua hii, ipelekeni katika kanisa la Laodikia, ili isomwe huko pia. Ninyi nanyi msome barua niliyowaandikia wao. 17 Mwambieni Arkipo hivi, “Hakikisha unaifanya kazi aliyokupa Bwana.”

18 Hii ni salamu yangu ambayo nimeiandika kwa mkono wangu mwenyewe: Paulo. Msiache kunikumbuka nikiwa hapa gerezani. Ninawaombea neema ya Mungu iwe pamoja nanyi nyote.

Masters, provide your slaves with what is right and fair,(A) because you know that you also have a Master in heaven.

Further Instructions

Devote yourselves to prayer,(B) being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door(C) for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery(D) of Christ, for which I am in chains.(E) Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise(F) in the way you act toward outsiders;(G) make the most of every opportunity.(H) Let your conversation be always full of grace,(I) seasoned with salt,(J) so that you may know how to answer everyone.(K)

Final Greetings

Tychicus(L) will tell you all the news about me. He is a dear brother, a faithful minister and fellow servant[a](M) in the Lord. I am sending him to you for the express purpose that you may know about our[b] circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts.(N) He is coming with Onesimus,(O) our faithful and dear brother, who is one of you.(P) They will tell you everything that is happening here.

10 My fellow prisoner Aristarchus(Q) sends you his greetings, as does Mark,(R) the cousin of Barnabas.(S) (You have received instructions about him; if he comes to you, welcome him.) 11 Jesus, who is called Justus, also sends greetings. These are the only Jews[c] among my co-workers(T) for the kingdom of God, and they have proved a comfort to me. 12 Epaphras,(U) who is one of you(V) and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you,(W) that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature(X) and fully assured. 13 I vouch for him that he is working hard for you and for those at Laodicea(Y) and Hierapolis. 14 Our dear friend Luke,(Z) the doctor, and Demas(AA) send greetings. 15 Give my greetings to the brothers and sisters at Laodicea,(AB) and to Nympha and the church in her house.(AC)

16 After this letter has been read to you, see that it is also read(AD) in the church of the Laodiceans and that you in turn read the letter from Laodicea.

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

18 I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand.(AG) Remember(AH) my chains.(AI) Grace be with you.(AJ)

Footnotes

  1. Colossians 4:7 Or slave; also in verse 12
  2. Colossians 4:8 Some manuscripts that he may know about your
  3. Colossians 4:11 Greek only ones of the circumcision group