kjv@Colossians:4:1@ Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven.
kjv@Colossians:4:2@ Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;
kjv@Colossians:4:3@ Withal 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:
kjv@Colossians:4:5@ Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.
kjv@Colossians:4:6@ Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.
kjv@Colossians:4:7@ All my state shall Tychicus declare unto you, who is a beloved brother, and a faithful minister and fellowservant in the Lord:
kjv@Colossians:4:8@ Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that he might know your estate, and comfort your hearts;
kjv@Colossians:4:9@ With Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They shall make known unto you all things which are done here.
kjv@Colossians:4:10@ Aristarchus my fellowprisoner saluteth you, and Marcus, sister's son to Barnabas, (touching whom ye received commandments: if he come unto you, receive him;)
kjv@Colossians:4:11@ And 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.
kjv@Colossians:4:12@ Epaphras, 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.
kjv@Colossians:4:13@ For I bear him record, that he hath a great zeal for you, and them that are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis.
kjv@Colossians:4:15@ Salute the brethren which are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church which is in his house.
kjv@Colossians:4:16@ And 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.
kjv@Colossians:4:17@ And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it.
kjv@Colossians:4:18@ The salutation by the hand of me Paul. Remember my bonds. Grace be with you. Amen.
The Lord makes evangelical opportunities to speak for those that are watching for them. For most of us that means the daily one on one talks. For some that means the larger event or location based individual or team efforts. The fact that Paul asks us to pray for these means that the Lord does seek these types of prayers.
Some are given the burden of prayer. It does not say what other positions or responsibilities this person may of held. To be saluted as a warrior of prayer and acknowledged for a particular burden for some specific congregations is illustrative of how Paul's team operated.
Church is where ever people regularly meet. Often we get too wrapped in buildings and architecture and pipe organs and stain glass. A house, a park, a drive-in theater, a school, a rodeo grandstand, a prison cafeteria all work just as well if not better. It is not the type of place that is important but the types of hearts that gather.
There are other epistles that Paul wrote. Perhaps several. Perhaps daily. Paul was not attempting to write for inclusion into some soon to be published New Testament collection. He was not seeking to dominate the other writers with his massive content. He was addressing the needs of the people and congregations that he was placed directly over (Romans possibly being the exception - perhaps planted by acquaintances that he had discipled). His letters were treasured enough that people kept hold of them. By the time the Testament was canonized several years after his death there were enough of these verifiable copies still circulated for them to be included into what we hold today as scripture. Many of these other letters, though I am sure were treasured have either been lost or cannot be accurately verified as there were many plagiarizers of his name and authority even yet today.
2012 - pBiblx2 Field Wise Bible System Version 2.0.9d - GPL3
