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someone else’s letter

Colossians 4:7-18 (JDV)

Colossians 4:7 Tychicus, our dearly cared about brother, faithful assistant, and fellow servant in the Lord, will tell you everything about me.

Colossians 4:8 I have sent him to you for this very purpose, so that you may know how we are and so that he may encourage your hearts.

Colossians 4:9 He is with Onesimus, a faithful and dearly cared about brother, who is one of you. They will tell you about everything here.

Colossians 4:10 Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, sends you greetings, as does Mark, Barnabas’s cousin (concerning whom you have received instructions: if he comes to you, welcome him),

Colossians 4:11 and so does Jesus who is called Justus. These alone of the circumcised are my coworkers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me.

Colossians 4:12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a slave of Christ Jesus, sends you greetings. He is always wrestling for you in his prayers, so that you can stand mature and fully assured in every preference of God.

Colossians 4:13 You see, I testify about him that he works hard for you, for those in Laodicea, and for those in Hierapolis.

Colossians 4:14 Luke, the dearly cared about physician, and Demas send you greetings.

Colossians 4:15 Give my greetings to the brothers and sisters in Laodicea, and to Nympha and the congregation in her home.

Colossians 4:16 After this letter has been read at your gathering, have it read also in the congregation of the Laodiceans; and see that you also read the letter from Laodicea.

Colossians 4:17 And tell Archippus, “Pay attention to the ministry you have received in the Lord, so that you can accomplish it.”

Colossians 4:18 I, Paul, am writing this greeting with my own hand. Remember my chains. Favor be with you.

someone else’s letter

As usual, Paul concludes this letter with a long list of people who are important to him. He always had a team who helped to spread the gospel.

This letter was intended for a group of congregations in a particular region, but it was also intended to be copied and passed along to other groups of congregations in other regions as well. The Colossians would also benefit from the reading of the letter to the Laodicean congregations.

The whole Bible is God’s gift to us, not just the bits we tend to hover over. There are storehouses of treasures we deny ourselves when we only stick with our favorite bits.

Lord, open our minds to your truth in every book of your divine library.