“And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it.”
My Notes
What Does Colossians 4:17 Mean?
Paul closes Colossians with a personal message to a man named Archippus: take heed to your ministry and fulfill it. This is a public exhortation delivered through the church — Paul is essentially asking the Colossian congregation to remind Archippus of his calling.
The phrasing is both encouraging and urgent. "Take heed" (blepe) means to watch carefully, to pay close attention. "Fulfil it" (plēroō) means to complete it, to fill it to the brim. Paul isn't scolding Archippus — there's no indication he's failing. But he's saying: don't coast. Don't let it drift. The ministry you received from the Lord requires your full attention.
The phrase "received in the Lord" is important. Archippus didn't invent his ministry or choose it for himself. He received it. It was given to him. And because it was given, he's accountable to complete it. A gift-ministry is still a responsibility.
Reflection Questions
- 1.What ministry or calling have you 'received in the Lord' that you know you haven't fully pursued?
- 2.How would it change things if your community publicly named your calling and held you accountable to it?
- 3.What's the difference between neglecting a ministry out of rebellion and neglecting it out of distraction — and does the difference matter?
- 4.What would it look like to 'fulfil' your ministry — to fill it to the brim rather than just going through the motions?
Devotional
Take heed. Fulfil it. Six words that could be tattooed on the inside of every calling.
Archippus had a ministry. We don't know what it was — pastor, deacon, teacher, something else entirely. What we know is that Paul thought it was important enough to mention by name in a letter that would be read to the whole church. The message was both personal and public: this is your assignment, and we're watching you carry it out.
There's something about being named that changes things. It's easy to let a calling atrophy when no one's paying attention. It's harder when your community sees you and says: we know what God gave you. Don't let it go unfulfilled.
Do you have a ministry you've received but haven't fully pursued? Something you know God has put in your hands that you've been neglecting — not out of rebellion, but out of distraction, fear, or fatigue? Paul's words to Archippus are for you too: take heed to it. Pay attention. And fulfil it. Not someone else's ministry. Yours.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
And say to Archippus,.... A name common among the Grecians. This person the apostle calls his fellow soldier, in Plm 1:2…
And say to Archippus - Archippus is mentioned also in Phm 1:2. He is not elsewhere referred to in the New Testament, and…
Say to Archippus - Who this person was we cannot tell; there have been various conjectures concerning him; some think he…
In the close of this epistle the apostle does several of his friends the honour to leave their names upon record, with…
say to Archippus Probably the son of Philemon (cp. Phm 1:2, and notes, and Lightfoot, Colossians&c., pp. 374, 5). He was…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture