Colossians 4
1 Masters, be supplying justice and fairness to your slaves, knowing that you also have [a] master in heaven. 2 Be continuing steadfastly in prayer, staying awake in it in thankfulness, praying one and all also concerning us, 3 in order that God open to us [a] door of the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, because of which I indeed am bound, 4 that I manifest it as it is necessary I speak. 5 Be walking in wisdom towards those outside, buying up for oneself the opportune-time1 (). 6 [Let] your conversation always [be] in grace, having been seasoned with salt, to know how you just be answering each one. 7 Everything according to me Tychicus the agape-beloved brother and trustworthy servant and fellow-slave in the Lord will disclose to you, 8 whom I sent to you for this same [purpose], in order that you know the [things] concerning us, and he will encourage your hearts 9 with Onisimus, the trustworthy and agape-beloved brother, who is from [among] you; they will disclose to you all the [latest] here. 10 Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, and Mark the cousin of Barnabas, concerning whom you received [a] commandment: if he comes to you, receive him 11 and Jesus being called Justus, these being from circumcision, these only working together for the kingdom of God, which became to me [a] comfort. 12 Epaphras the [one] from [among] you greets you, [a] slave of Christ Jesus, always struggling in your behalf in his prayers, that you be established complete and fully convinced in all [the] will of God. 13 For I witness to him that he has much labor in behalf [of you] and Laodicia and Hierapolis. 14 Luke the agape-beloved physician and Demas greet you. 15 Greet the brothers in Laodicia and Nympha and the assembly2 according to his house. 16 And when the letter is read in your presence, arrange that in the Laodician assembly2 it may be read, and the [one] from Laodicia that you also may read [it]. 17 And say to Archippus: Look to the service which you received in the Lord, that you may complete it.18 The greeting [is] in my, Paul's hand. Be remembering my bonds. Grace [be] with you.
1KAIROS (καιρoς ) `opportune time', `proper time', `season'
2EKKLESIA (εκκλησια) from "called out". Appears 114 times in the N.T., but only in two places in the Gospels ( Matt.16:18 (twice) and Matt.18:17 (twice)). It's worth noting that when Jesus uses the term EKKLESIA, Christian community as we know it didn't yet exist—there were only the disciples. EKKLESIA is apparently different from 'synagogue' (SYNAGOGE (συναγωγη) which occurs 56 times in the N.T.) EKKLESIA is used in secular Greek literature of a popular assembly 'called to assemble', and also of those 'called' to a cult. EKKLESIA is used frequently in the N.T. outside of the Gospels to refer to Christian communities, but in Acts.7:38 it is used of the people of Israel led through the desert by Moses, and in Acts.19:32 ff. of a secular assembly. Thus, all told, the common translation of EKKLESIA as 'church' doesn't really reflect 1st century usage—it seems to mean more like 'a group of people assembled for some specific purpose'.