Colossians - 4:18



18 The salutation of me, Paul, with my own hand: remember my bonds. Grace be with you. Amen.

Verse In-Depth

Explanation and meaning of Colossians 4:18.

Differing Translations

Compare verses for better understanding.
The salutation of Paul with my own hand. Be mindful of my bands. Grace be with you. Amen
I Paul add with my own hand this final greeting. Be mindful of me in my imprisonment. Grace be with you.
I, Paul, give you this word of love in my handwriting. Keep in memory that I am a prisoner. Grace be with you.
The greeting of Paul by my own hand. Remember my chains. May grace be with you. Amen.
I, Paul, add this greeting in my own handwriting. Remember these chains of mine. God's blessing be with you.
Salutatio, mea manu Pauli. Memores estote vinculorum meorum. Gratia vobiscum. Amen.

*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.


Historical Commentaries

Scholarly Analysis and Interpretation.

The salutation by the hand of me Paul - Probably the rest of the Epistle was written by an amanuensis. As was his custom, Paul affixed his own hand to it in the form of a salutation; compare the 1-Corinthians 16:21 note; 2-Thessalonians 3:17 note.
Remember my bonds - Also evidently written by his own hand, to make the injunction more impressive; compare the notes at Hebrews 13:3. The meaning is, that they should not forget him in his confinement. They should remember that he was suffering on their account (Notes, Colossians 1:24), and that he was entitled to every expression of sympathy and love.
Grace be with you - Notes, Romans 16:20.
The subscription to this Epistle is undoubtedly correct. See the Introduction.

The salutation by the hand of me Paul - The preceding part of the epistle was written by a scribe, from the mouth of the apostle: this, and what follows, was written by the hand of St. Paul himself. A similar distinction we find, 1-Corinthians 16:21, and in 2-Thessalonians 3:17; and this, it seems, was the means by which the apostle authenticated every epistle which he sent to the different Churches. The salutation of Paul with mine own hand, which is the token in every epistle, so I write.
Remember my bonds - See what proof ye have of the truth of the Gospel; I am in bonds on this account; I suffer patiently, yea, exult in the Lord Jesus, so perfectly am I upheld by the grace of the Gospel. Remember my bonds, and take courage. How eloquent were these concluding words! That such a man should be in bonds for the Gospel, was the fullest proof of the truth of the Gospel. A cunningly devised fable could not have imposed on Saul of Tarsus; he was fully satisfied of the truth of the doctrines of Christianity; he proclaimed them as truths from heaven; and for their sake cheerfully suffered the loss of all things. The bonds of such a man are a plenary proof of the truth of the doctrines for which he was bound.
Grace be with you - May you still possess the favor and blessing of our Lord Jesus Christ: the apostle ends, as he began, this epistle. Without the grace of Christ they could not have become a Church; without this grace they could not continue to be one.
Amen - This is omitted by the most ancient and correct MSS.
The subscriptions, as usual, are various and uncertain: -
The common Greek text has, To the Colossians, written from Rome by Tychicus and Onesimus.
The Epistle to the Colossians; written at Rome, and sent by the hand of Tychicus. Syriac.
To the Colossians. Ethiopic.
In the Vulgate there is no subscription.
The end of the epistle; and it was written from Rome, and sent by the hand of Tychicus and Onesimus. Praise be to God for ever and ever; and may his mercy be upon us. Amen. Arabic.
Written from Athens by Tychicus, and Onesimus, and Mark, his disciples. Coptic.
The MSS. are not less various than the versions:
To the Colossians. - That to the Colossians is completed; that to the Philippians begins. - That to the Colossians is finished; the First Epistle to the Thessalonians begins. - To the Colossians, from Rome. - Written to the Colossians from Rome. - Written from Rome by Tychicus, and Timotheus, and Onesimus. - Written by Paul and Timothy, and sent by Tychicus, and Onesimus.
That the epistle was written from Rome there is little cause to doubt: that Timothy might be the scribe is very probable, because it appears he was at Rome with the apostle in the same year in which this epistle was written. See Philippians 2:19. And that it was sent by Tychicus and Onesimus, seems evident from the 8th and 9th verses of this chapter.
The common subscription has the consent of the greater number of the most recent and comparatively recent MSS., but this is not, in general, a proof of authenticity.

The salutation by the hand of me Paul,.... After his amanuensis had finished the epistle, he added his usual salutation to it with his own hand, to prevent all counterfeits and impositions, and that the churches to whom he wrote might be sure of the genuineness of his epistles; but before he added it to it, he either wrote with his own hand, or ordered to be written the following words,
remember my bonds; this he says, partly that they might be animated to abide by the Gospel, for which, as he had told them before, Colossians 4:3 that he was in bonds; and partly to encourage them, by his example, patiently to endure what afflictions and persecutions soever they should meet with, for the sake of it; as also that they might be moved hereby, to remember him in their prayers, that, if it was the will of God, he might be released, and be yet further useful in preaching the Gospel; or however, that he might be supported in his bonds, and cheerfully bear them, and remain steadfast in his faith in Christ unto the end: and then follows the salutation,
grace be with you, Amen; which is common to all his epistles, and well suits them; in which he so much displays the grace of God, as it is expressed in the Gospel; and which his heart was full of, and earnestly desired might be more largely manifested to, and bestowed upon the saints. This epistle is said to be
written from Rome to the Colossians, by Tychicus and Onesimus; and though the subscriptions of the epistles are not always to be depended on, yet this seems to be right; that it was inscribed to the Colossians, there is no doubt; and that it was written from Rome is clear enough, since by several expressions it is plain that he was now a prisoner, and in bonds; and that it was sent by Tychicus and Onesimus is more than probable, from Colossians 4:7.

Paul's autograph salutation (so 1-Corinthians 16:21; 2-Thessalonians 3:17), attesting that the preceding letter, though written by an amanuensis, is from himself.
Remember my bonds--Already in this chapter he had mentioned his "bonds" (Colossians 4:3), and again Colossians 4:10, an incentive why they should love and pray (Colossians 4:3) for him; and still more, that they should, in reverential obedience to his monitions in this Epistle, shrink from the false teaching herein stigmatized, remembering what a conflict (Colossians 2:1) he had in their behalf amidst his bonds. "When we read of his chains, we should not forget that they moved over the paper as he wrote; his [right] hand was chained to the [left hand of the] soldier who kept him" [ALFORD].
Grace be with you--Greek, "THE grace" which every Christian enjoys in some degree, and which flows from God in Christ by the Holy Ghost (Titus 3:15; Hebrews 13:25)

*More commentary available at chapter level.


Discussion on Colossians 4:18

User discussion of the verse.






*By clicking Submit, you agree to our Privacy Policy & Terms of Use.