Philippians 2:19–30

Timothy and Epaphroditus

¹⁹Now I hope in the Lord Jesus ^ato send Timothy ^bto you soon so that I also may be encouraged when I hear news about you. ²⁰For I have no one else like-minded who will genuinely care about your interests; ²¹all seek their own interests, ^cnot those of Jesus Christ. ^d22But you know his proven character, because he has served with me in the gospel ministry like a son with a father. ²³Therefore, I hope to send him as soon as I see how things go with me. ²⁴I am convinced in the Lord that I myself will also come quickly. ^e

²⁵But I considered it necessary to send you Epaphroditus ^f—my brother, coworker, and fellow soldier, as well as your messenger and minister to my need ^g— ²⁶since he has been longing for all of you and was distressed because you heard that he was sick. ²⁷Indeed, he was so sick that he nearly died. However, God had mercy on him, and not only on him but also on me, so that I would not have one grief on top of another. ²⁸For this reason, I am very eager to send him so that you may rejoice when you see him again and I may be less anxious. ²⁹Therefore, welcome him in the Lord with all joy and hold men like him in honor, ³⁰because he came close to death for the work ^hof Christ, risking his life to make up what was lacking in your ministry to me.