Colossians 4:18
“The salutation by the hand of me Paul. Remember my bonds. Grace be with you. Amen.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →Paul signs the letter in his own hand, asks them to remember his imprisonment, and closes with grace.
What Does Colossians 4:18 Mean?
Paul takes up the pen himself to close the letter. The salutation by the hand of me Paul -- a personal sign-off in his own writing, authenticating the letter as truly his after a scribe wrote the body.
He adds a poignant plea: Remember my bonds. Even at the end, he reminds them of his chains, not for pity alone but to keep him in their prayers and to inspire steadfastness. Then comes the final word, the keynote of the whole gospel: Grace be with you. Amen. Paul began the letter with grace and ends with it, leaving the Colossians wrapped in the unearned favor of God. For them, this closing carries both the warmth of a friend and the blessing of an apostle. Remembering his bonds and resting in grace, they are sent back to the Christ in whom, as the whole letter has shown, they are complete.