¹²I am sending him back to you—I am sending my very own heart.^E^F ¹³I wanted to keep him with me, so that in my imprisonment for the gospel he might serve me in your place. ¹⁴But I didn’t want to do anything without your consent, so that your good deed might not be out of obligation, but of your own free will. ¹⁵For perhaps this is why he was separated from you for a brief time, so that you might get him back permanently, ¹⁶no longer as a slave, but more than a slave—as a dearly loved brother. He is especially so to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh^p and in the Lord.^q

¹⁷So if you consider me a partner, welcome^r him as you would me. ¹⁸And if he has wronged you in any way, or owes you anything, charge that to my account.^s ¹⁹I, Paul, write this with my own hand:^t I will repay it—not to mention to you that you owe me even your very self. ²⁰Yes, brother, may I benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ. ²¹Since I am confident of your obedience, I am writing to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say. ²²Meanwhile, also prepare a guest room for me, since I hope that through your prayers I will be restored to you.

FINAL GREETINGS

²³Epaphras,^u my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you greetings, and so do ²⁴Mark,^v Aristarchus,^w Demas, and Luke,^x my coworkers.

²⁵The grace of the Lord^A^y Jesus Christ be with your spirit.^z

Read in Logos

Footnotes

EOther read him back. Receive him, my own heart.
F you—that is, my own heart
AOther read our Lord

Cross references

p Php 3:3
q 1Co 16:19; Rv 11:8
r Rm 14:1
s Rm 5:13
t 1Co 16:21
u Col 1:7; 4:12
v Ac 12:12,25; 15:37,39; Col 4:10; 2Tm 4:11; 1Pt 5:13
w Ac 19:29
x Col 4:14; 2Tm 4:10–11
y 2Th 3:18; Rv 11:8
z Ps 51:12