Colossians 3:11

3:11 Here there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave ¹  or free, but Christ is all and in all.

Colossians 3:22

3:22 Slaves, ²  obey your earthly ³  masters in every respect, not only when they are watching – like those who are strictly people-pleasers – but with a sincere heart, fearing the Lord.

Colossians 4:1

4:1 Masters, treat your slaves with justice and fairness, because you know that you also have a master in heaven.

Colossians 4:12

4:12 Epaphras, who is one of you and a slave ⁴  of Christ, ⁵  greets you. He is always struggling in prayer on your behalf, so that you may stand mature and fully assured ⁶  in all the will of God.

[3:11]  ¹ tn See the note on “fellow slave” in 1:7.

[3:22]  ² tn On this word here and in 4:1, see the note on “fellow slave” in 1:7.

[3:22]  ³ tn The prepositional phrase κατὰ σάρκα (kata sarka) does not necessarily qualify the masters as earthly or human (as opposed to the Master in heaven, the Lord), but could also refer to the sphere in which “the service-relation holds true.” See BDAG 577 s.v. κύριος 1.b.

[4:12]  ³ tn See the note on “fellow slave” in 1:7.

[4:12]  ⁴ tc ‡ Strong Alexandrian testimony, along with some other witnesses, suggests that ᾿Ιησοῦ (Ihsou, “Jesus”) follows Χριστοῦ (Cristou, “Christ”; so א A B C I L 0278 33 81 365 629 1175 2464 al lat), but the evidence for the shorter reading is diverse (Ì⁴⁶ D F G Ψ 075 1739 1881 Ï it sy Hier), cutting across all major texttypes. There can be little motivation for omitting the name of Jesus; hence, the shorter reading is judged to be original. NA²⁷ has ᾿Ιησοῦ in brackets, indicating some doubts as to its authenticity.

[4:12]  ⁵ tn Or “filled.”