Colossians 4:7-18 Paul’s Closing Words

The Gospel Work That Continues: Paul’s Closing Words to the Colossians (Colossians 4:7–18)

The Apostle’s Final Words from Chains

Paul’s letter to the Colossians ends not with abstract theology but with a deeply personal and pastoral reflection. As he writes from imprisonment, uncertain if he will ever meet these believers in person, he concludes with the simple plea: “Remember my chains.”

Though separated by distance and confinement, Paul’s heart is very near to them. Through this closing section, he entrusts to the church a picture of the ongoing work of the gospel, a work that does not end with the apostles but continues through faithful men and women in every age.

1. The Author: A Shared Ministry in Chains

Paul’s closing words reveal not only his circumstances but also the community of co-laborers surrounding him. The names listed in this passage—Tychicus, Onesimus, Aristarchus, Mark, Justus, Epaphras, Luke, and Demas—show us that gospel ministry was never a solitary task.

Paul’s Companions in the Work

Tychicus is introduced as a “beloved brother and faithful minister,” sent to encourage the hearts of the Colossians and to bring news of Paul. Onesimus, once a slave in Colossae, now returns as a faithful brother in Christ. Aristarchus shares Paul’s imprisonment. Mark—once estranged from Paul after a sharp disagreement—has been restored and is again a trusted co-laborer.

Even “Jesus who is called Justus” is mentioned as one of the few Jewish Christians laboring with Paul for the kingdom of God. Epaphras, their own pastor and intercessor, is commended for his tireless prayers that the Colossians might stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God. Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, still counted among the brothers at this time, also send their greetings.

The Picture of a Shared Ministry

These greetings are not mere housekeeping. They are a portrait of gospel continuity. Paul, nearing the end of his earthly work, is showing the Colossians—and us—that Christ’s mission continues through the hands of others. The gospel is not bound by the limitations of one man, nor even by the chains of imprisonment.

This also models something vital for the church today: ministry is shared, not possessed. The apostle does not speak of “his” ministry but “our” ministry. The same spirit of collaboration should mark the church in every generation. Elders, deacons, and all who serve Christ share in one collective stewardship of the gospel.

2. The Audience: A Church Known and Loved

Though Paul had never personally visited Colossae, his words show an intimate awareness of their needs and struggles. The closing verses make clear that the letter is not generic, but tailored to a congregation with specific people, relationships, and circumstances.

The Story Behind the Names

The mention of Onesimus carries a special significance. In the short epistle to Philemon, Paul appeals to Philemon—himself a member of the Colossian church—to receive back Onesimus, his runaway slave, not as property but as a beloved brother in Christ.

Paul’s intercession is deeply moving:

“Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me… no longer as a bondservant but more than a bondservant—as a beloved brother.” (Philemon 11, 16)

This background illuminates the closing of Colossians. When Paul sends Onesimus back to Colossae, he is putting the theology of the entire letter into practice. The church that has been told, “You have put on the new self” (Col. 3:10), must now live that out—welcoming a former slave as an equal brother in Christ.

A Local Church with Global Implications

Paul also instructs the Colossians to share their letter with the church in Laodicea and to read the one written to them in return. This exchange reminds us that the Word of God is meant to be circulated and applied—not confined to a single time or place.

In our own day, though we live far from Colossae, we too are part of that same audience. The same Spirit who inspired Paul’s letter continues to speak through it to modern congregations, shaping us into mature disciples who love and serve one another in Christ.

3. The Message: Living Out the Gospel in Everyday Relationships

The final exhortation of Colossians is directed to Archippus:

“See that you fulfill the ministry that you have received in the Lord.” (v. 17)

This charge to one man embodies the message of the whole book. To “fulfill the ministry” means to walk faithfully in one’s God-given calling. Ministry is not theoretical; it is practical obedience—carried out in the church, the home, and the world.

Faithfulness in Calling

Archippus likely served as a pastor or elder in the church at Colossae. Paul reminds him—and all who serve—that calling is not merely to be acknowledged but to be fulfilled. The same applies to every believer’s vocation. A mother fulfills her calling by nurturing her children. A father fulfills his by leading in love and faithfulness. Each of us is to “walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him” (Col. 1:10).

This also shapes how churches discern leadership. To call a man to office is not to give him honor but responsibility. The church must prayerfully discern whether he is fitted by Christ for the task—and those called must, by grace, fulfill it faithfully.

The Message Lived Out: The Gospel in Action

The gospel that Paul proclaims throughout Colossians is not an abstract set of doctrines—it is a living reality that transforms relationships. Nowhere is that more clearly displayed than in the reconciliation between Philemon and Onesimus.

The question for the Colossian church—and for us—is this: Will we live out the gospel we confess?

The Test of the Gospel in Community

Philemon’s legal right under Roman law was to punish his runaway slave severely, even to death. Yet Paul appeals to him not on the basis of law but of love. Philemon must now see Onesimus not as property, but as a brother for whom Christ died.

This is the test of gospel transformation: Will we treat others according to the old, worldly order—or according to the new creation in Christ?

The gospel calls us to respond to those who have wronged us, not with vengeance, but with grace; not with self-interest, but with love rooted in the cross. The household codes of Colossians 3 now find their fullest expression as the gospel redefines master and slave, friend and enemy, superior and subordinate—all now made one in Christ.

The Church’s Opportunity to Display Christ

When a congregation chooses forgiveness over retaliation, unity over division, and love over bitterness, it bears witness to the reality of the risen Christ. Paul’s concern for Colossae is the same as his concern for every church: that believers might “stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God” (4:12).

To be mature in Christ means not only knowing the truth but embodying it. Epaphras, their pastor, labors in prayer for precisely this—to see the gospel worked into the lives of the saints until Christ’s character is formed in them.

The Enduring Work of the Gospel

Paul closes with his personal benediction:

“I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.” (v. 18)

Even in his imprisonment, Paul’s heart is fixed on the freedom of the gospel. His request—remember my chains—is not a plea for pity but a reminder of purpose. He suffers so that the gospel may go forward unhindered.

Remembering the Chains

To “remember his chains” means to remember why he bears them—for the sake of Christ and His church. It is a call to pray for gospel laborers, to support them in their trials, and to carry forward the same mission.

When Paul asks the Colossians earlier to pray that “God may open to us a door for the word,” he reveals his confidence that even prison walls cannot shut out the advance of the gospel. Christ continues to build His church through those who suffer, labor, and pray in His name.

The Horizon of Gospel Ministry

Paul’s closing words to Colossae point beyond his own lifetime. Like a man standing on the edge of a plain and seeing the next horizon, Paul glimpses the generations to come—the ongoing work of Christ through His people until the end of the age.

The gospel does not end with the apostles; it continues through faithful servants in every place and every era. The same Spirit who empowered Paul and his companions still empowers the church today.

Our Place in the Story

We, too, are part of that continuing story. Though far removed from Colossae, we share in the same faith and mission. The same grace that sustained Paul sustains us. The same Spirit that united Jew and Gentile now unites believers across every barrier.

As a congregation, we are called to carry forward that same ministry—to see Christ formed in His people, to love the brethren deeply, and to labor for the spread of the gospel until He returns.

Conclusion: A Heavenly-Minded Church

The letter to the Colossians closes with an invitation to live as those whose lives are “hidden with Christ in God.” To be heavenly-minded does not mean living detached from earthly concerns, but rather seeing everything in light of eternity.

Paul’s list of names—so easily skimmed over—teaches us that the gospel advances through real people in real relationships: co-laborers, intercessors, forgiven sinners, restored brothers, and faithful ministers. These closing verses are a celebration of the ordinary means by which Christ builds His extraordinary kingdom.

So as we continue our own work in the church today, may we do so with eyes lifted to heaven—setting aside divisions and lesser things, loving one another for the sake of Christ, and finding joy in the privilege of participating in His ongoing work.

“Grace be with you.”
— Colossians 4:18