Colossians 4:9
“With Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They shall make known unto you all things which are done here.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →With Tychicus comes Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother who is one of their own, and together they will report everything.
What Does Colossians 4:9 Mean?
Paul names a second messenger, and the mention carries quiet grace. Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, accompanies Tychicus -- and Paul notes pointedly that he is one of you, a member of the Colossian community.
To call Onesimus a faithful and beloved brother is to embrace him fully within the family of Christ. The two of them shall make known unto you all things which are done here, bringing the church a complete account of Paul's circumstances. The warmth toward Onesimus shows how the gospel transforms standing and relationships, making brothers of those once regarded otherwise. For the Colossians, welcoming him as a beloved brother is part of living out the unity Paul has urged throughout the letter. The simple commendation testifies that in Christ, identity is reshaped, and even one returning to them is received as family in the Lord.