¹²I am sending him back to you as a part of myself. ^v^w¹³I 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 even more to you, both in the flesh ^xand in the Lord. ^y^z

¹⁷So if you consider me a partner, accept ^ahim as you would me. ¹⁸And if he has wronged you in any way, or owes you anything, charge that to my account. ^b¹⁹I, Paul, write this with my own hand: ^cI will repay it—not to mention to you that you owe me even your own self. ²⁰Yes, brother, may I have joy 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. ²²But meanwhile, also prepare a guest room for me, for I hope that through your prayers I will be restored to you.

Final Greetings

²³Epaphras, ^dmy fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you, and so do ²⁴Mark, ^eAristarchus, ^fDemas, and Luke, ^gmy coworkers.

²⁵The grace of the Lord ^hⁱJesus Christ be with your spirit. ^j

Read in Logos

Footnotes

v12 Other read him back. Receive him as a part of myself.
w12 you—that is, my inward parts
y16 Both physically and spiritually
h25 Other read our Lord

Cross references

x16 Php 3:3
z16 1Co 16:19; Rv 11:8
a17 Rm 14:1
b18 Rm 5:13
c19 1Co 16:21
d23 Col 1:7; 4:12
e24 Ac 12:12, 25; 15:37, 39; Col 4:10; 2Tm 4:11; 1Pt 5:13
f24 Ac 19:29
g24 Col 4:14; 2Tm 4:10–11
i25 2Th 3:18; Rv 11:8
j25 Ps 51:12