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Colossians 4

Col. 4:1 KJV (With Strong’s)

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1
Masters
ho (Greek #3588)
the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom)
KJV usage: the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.
Pronounce: ho
Origin: ἡ (hay), and the neuter τό (to) in all their inflections
ho (Greek #3588)
the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom)
KJV usage: the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.
Pronounce: ho
Origin: ἡ (hay), and the neuter τό (to) in all their inflections
kurios (Greek #2962)
supreme in authority, i.e. (as noun) controller; by implication, Master (as a respectful title)
KJV usage: God, Lord, master, Sir.
Pronounce: koo'-ree-os
Origin: from κῦρος (supremacy)
f, give
parecho (Greek #3930)
to hold near, i.e. present, afford, exhibit, furnish occasion
KJV usage: bring, do, give, keep, minister, offer, shew, + trouble.
Pronounce: par-ekh'-o
Origin: from 3844 and 2192
unto
ho (Greek #3588)
the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom)
KJV usage: the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.
Pronounce: ho
Origin: ἡ (hay), and the neuter τό (to) in all their inflections
doulos (Greek #1401)
a slave (literal or figurative, involuntary or voluntary; frequently, therefore in a qualified sense of subjection or subserviency)
KJV usage: bond(-man), servant.
Pronounce: doo'-los
Origin: from 1210
your servants
doulos (Greek #1401)
a slave (literal or figurative, involuntary or voluntary; frequently, therefore in a qualified sense of subjection or subserviency)
KJV usage: bond(-man), servant.
Pronounce: doo'-los
Origin: from 1210
that which is just
dikaios (Greek #1342)
equitable (in character or act); by implication, innocent, holy (absolutely or relatively)
KJV usage: just, meet, right(-eous).
Pronounce: dik'-ah-yos
Origin: from 1349
and
kai (Greek #2532)
and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words
KJV usage: and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.
Pronounce: kahee
Origin: apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force
equal
ho (Greek #3588)
the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom)
KJV usage: the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.
Pronounce: ho
Origin: ἡ (hay), and the neuter τό (to) in all their inflections
isotes (Greek #2471)
by implication, equity
KJV usage: equal(-ity).
Pronounce: ee-sot'-ace
Origin: likeness (in condition or proportion)
; knowing
eido (Greek #1492)
used only in certain past tenses, the others being borrowed from the equivalent 3700 and 3708; properly, to see (literally or figuratively); by implication, (in the perfect tense only) to know
KJV usage: be aware, behold, X can (+ not tell), consider, (have) know(-ledge), look (on), perceive, see, be sure, tell, understand, wish, wot. Compare 3700.
Pronounce: i'-do
Origin: a primary verb
that
hoti (Greek #3754)
demonstrative, that (sometimes redundant); causative, because
KJV usage: as concerning that, as though, because (that), for (that), how (that), (in) that, though, why.
Pronounce: hot'-ee
Origin: neuter of 3748 as conjunction
ye
humeis (Greek #5210)
you (as subjective of verb)
KJV usage: ye (yourselves), you.
Pronounce: hoo-mice'
Origin: irregular plural of 4771
also
kai (Greek #2532)
and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words
KJV usage: and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.
Pronounce: kahee
Origin: apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force
have
echo (Greek #2192)
(used in certain tenses only) a primary verb; to hold (used in very various applications, literally or figuratively, direct or remote; such as possession; ability, contiuity, relation, or condition)
KJV usage: be (able, X hold, possessed with), accompany, + begin to amend, can(+ -not), X conceive, count, diseased, do + eat, + enjoy, + fear, following, have, hold, keep, + lack, + go to law, lie, + must needs, + of necessity, + need, next, + recover, + reign, + rest, + return, X sick, take for, + tremble, + uncircumcised, use.
Pronounce: ekh'-o
Origin: σχέω (skheh'-o)
a Master
kurios (Greek #2962)
supreme in authority, i.e. (as noun) controller; by implication, Master (as a respectful title)
KJV usage: God, Lord, master, Sir.
Pronounce: koo'-ree-os
Origin: from κῦρος (supremacy)
in
en (Greek #1722)
"in," at, (up-)on, by, etc.
KJV usage: about, after, against, + almost, X altogether, among, X as, at, before, between, (here-)by (+ all means), for (... sake of), + give self wholly to, (here-)in(-to, -wardly), X mightily, (because) of, (up-)on, (open-)ly, X outwardly, one, X quickly, X shortly, (speedi-)ly, X that, X there(-in, -on), through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), under, when, where(-with), while, with(-in). Often used in compounds, with substantially the same import; rarely with verbs of motion, and then not to indicate direction, except (elliptically) by a separate (and different) preposition.
Pronounce: en
Origin: a primary preposition denoting (fixed) position (in place, time or state), and (by implication) instrumentality (medially or constructively), i.e. a relation of rest (intermediate between 1519 and 1537)
heaven
ouranos (Greek #3772)
the sky; by extension, heaven (as the abode of God); by implication, happiness, power, eternity; specially, the Gospel (Christianity)
KJV usage: air, heaven(-ly), sky.
Pronounce: oo-ran-os'
Origin: perhaps from the same as 3735 (through the idea of elevation)
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f
Eph. 6:9• 9And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him. (Eph. 6:9)
,etc.

More on:

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Heaven,
Master,
Servant

Cross References

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Ministry on This Verse

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1-4:  He exhorts them to be fervent in prayer;
5-9:  to walk wisely toward them that are not yet come to the true knowledge of Christ.
10-18:  He salutes them, and wishes them all prosperity.
give.
Lev. 19:13• 13Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbor, neither rob him: the wages of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all night until the morning. (Lev. 19:13)
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Lev. 25:39‑43• 39And if thy brother that dwelleth by thee be waxen poor, and be sold unto thee; thou shalt not compel him to serve as a bondservant:
 40But as an hired servant, and as a sojourner, he shall be with thee, and shall serve thee unto the year of jubilee:
 41And then shall he depart from thee, both he and his children with him, and shall return unto his own family, and unto the possession of his fathers shall he return.
 42For they are my servants, which I brought forth out of the land of Egypt: they shall not be sold as bondmen.
 43Thou shalt not rule over him with rigor; but shalt fear thy God. (Lev. 25:39‑43)
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Deut. 15:12‑15• 12And if thy brother, an Hebrew man, or an Hebrew woman, be sold unto thee, and serve thee six years; then in the seventh year thou shalt let him go free from thee.
 13And when thou sendest him out free from thee, thou shalt not let him go away empty:
 14Thou shalt furnish him liberally out of thy flock, and out of thy floor, and out of thy winepress: of that wherewith the Lord thy God hath blessed thee thou shalt give unto him.
 15And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt, and the Lord thy God redeemed thee: therefore I command thee this thing to day. (Deut. 15:12‑15)
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Deut. 24:14‑15• 14Thou shalt not oppress an hired servant that is poor and needy, whether he be of thy brethren, or of thy strangers that are in thy land within thy gates:
 15At his day thou shalt give him his hire, neither shall the sun go down upon it; for he is poor, and setteth his heart upon it: lest he cry against thee unto the Lord, and it be sin unto thee. (Deut. 24:14‑15)
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Neh. 5:5‑13• 5Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children: and, lo, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants, and some of our daughters are brought unto bondage already: neither is it in our power to redeem them; for other men have our lands and vineyards.
 6And I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words.
 7Then I consulted with myself, and I rebuked the nobles, and the rulers, and said unto them, Ye exact usury, every one of his brother. And I set a great assembly against them.
 8And I said unto them, We after our ability have redeemed our brethren the Jews, which were sold unto the heathen; and will ye even sell your brethren? or shall they be sold unto us? Then held they their peace, and found nothing to answer.
 9Also I said, It is not good that ye do: ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the heathen our enemies?
 10I likewise, and my brethren, and my servants, might exact of them money and corn: I pray you, let us leave off this usury.
 11Restore, I pray you, to them, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their oliveyards, and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money, and of the corn, the wine, and the oil, that ye exact of them.
 12Then said they, We will restore them, and will require nothing of them; so will we do as thou sayest. Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they should do according to this promise.
 13Also I shook my lap, and said, So God shake out every man from his house, and from his labor, that performeth not this promise, even thus be he shaken out, and emptied. And all the congregation said, Amen, and praised the Lord. And the people did according to this promise. (Neh. 5:5‑13)
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Job 24:11‑12• 11Which make oil within their walls, and tread their winepresses, and suffer thirst.
 12Men groan from out of the city, and the soul of the wounded crieth out: yet God layeth not folly to them. (Job 24:11‑12)
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Job 31:13‑15• 13If I did despise the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant, when they contended with me;
 14What then shall I do when God riseth up? and when he visiteth, what shall I answer him?
 15Did not he that made me in the womb make him? and did not one fashion us in the womb? (Job 31:13‑15)
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Isa. 58:3,5‑9• 3Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labors.
 5Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the Lord?
 6Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?
 7Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?
 8Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy rereward.
 9Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity; (Isa. 58:3,5‑9)
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Jer. 34:9‑17• 9That every man should let his manservant, and every man his maidservant, being an Hebrew or an Hebrewess, go free; that none should serve himself of them, to wit, of a Jew his brother.
 10Now when all the princes, and all the people, which had entered into the covenant, heard that every one should let his manservant, and every one his maidservant, go free, that none should serve themselves of them any more, then they obeyed, and let them go.
 11But afterward they turned, and caused the servants and the handmaids, whom they had let go free, to return, and brought them into subjection for servants and for handmaids.
 12Therefore the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying,
 13Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel; I made a covenant with your fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondmen, saying,
 14At the end of seven years let ye go every man his brother an Hebrew, which hath been sold unto thee; and when he hath served thee six years, thou shalt let him go free from thee: but your fathers hearkened not unto me, neither inclined their ear.
 15And ye were now turned, and had done right in my sight, in proclaiming liberty every man to his neighbor; and ye had made a covenant before me in the house which is called by my name:
 16But ye turned and polluted my name, and caused every man his servant, and every man his handmaid, whom ye had set at liberty at their pleasure, to return, and brought them into subjection, to be unto you for servants and for handmaids.
 17Therefore thus saith the Lord; Ye have not hearkened unto me, in proclaiming liberty, every one to his brother, and every man to his neighbor: behold, I proclaim a liberty for you, saith the Lord, to the sword, to the pestilence, and to the famine; and I will make you to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth. (Jer. 34:9‑17)
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Mal. 3:5• 5And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the Lord of hosts. (Mal. 3:5)
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James 2:13• 13For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath showed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment. (James 2:13)
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James 5:4• 4Behold, the hire of the laborers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth. (James 5:4)
ye.
Eccl. 5:8• 8If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for he that is higher than the highest regardeth; and there be higher than they. (Eccl. 5:8)
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Matt. 23:8‑9• 8But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.
 9And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. (Matt. 23:8‑9)
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Matt. 24:48‑51• 48But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;
 49And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;
 50The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,
 51And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matt. 24:48‑51)
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Luke 16:1‑13• 1And he said also unto his disciples, There was a certain rich man, which had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods.
 2And he called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward.
 3Then the steward said within himself, What shall I do? for my lord taketh away from me the stewardship: I cannot dig; to beg I am ashamed.
 4I am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.
 5So he called every one of his lord's debtors unto him, and said unto the first, How much owest thou unto my lord?
 6And he said, An hundred measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty.
 7Then said he to another, And how much owest thou? And he said, An hundred measures of wheat. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and write fourscore.
 8And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.
 9And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.
 10He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.
 11If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?
 12And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?
 13No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. (Luke 16:1‑13)
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Luke 19:15• 15And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading. (Luke 19:15)
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Eph. 6:8,9‑20• 8Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.
 9And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him.
 10Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
 11Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
 12For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
 13Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
 14Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
 15And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
 16Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
 17And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
 18Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
 19And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,
 20For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. (Eph. 6:8,9‑20)
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Rev. 17:14• 14These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful. (Rev. 17:14)
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Rev. 19:16• 16And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. (Rev. 19:16)
• Likewise, employers who own a company and have employees, in principle, are in the position of masters, and they are to run their companies in a way that would honor the Lord. (“Christ Expressed in the Work Place: Colossians 3:22-25” by B. Anstey)

J. N. Darby Translation

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1
Masters, give to bondmen what is just and fair, knowing that *ye* also have a Master in the heavens.

W. Kelly Translation

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1
Mastersa, justice and equity accord to your bondmen, knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven.

WK Translation Notes

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a
It is evident that the first verse of chapter 4 belongs to the special exhortations which occupy the close of chapter 3. Consequently, chapter 4 ought, if the division were accurate according to subjects, to begin at the second verse.