Christ there), that he sent him as his representative to evangelize the cities of the Lycus River valley, and that Epaphras founded churches in Colosse, Laodicea, and Hierapolis, 1:6, 7; 4:12, 13 (the A.S.V. describes Epaphras as “a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf,” 1:7). Paul himself had never visited these churches, 1:4, 6, 7; 2:1, but he considered himself to be their apostle and overseer because they were founded by one or more of his assistants. The church at Colosse probably was a