¹⁷Even if I am to be upoured out as a drink offering upon vthe sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. ¹⁸Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.

Timothy and Epaphroditus

¹⁹I hope in the Lord Jesus wto send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you. ²⁰For I have no one xlike him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. ²¹For they all yseek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. ²²But you know Timothy's4 zproven worth, how aas a son5 with a father bhe has served with me in the gospel. ²³I hope therefore to send him just as soon as I see how it will go with me, ²⁴and cI trust in the Lord that shortly I myself will come also.

²⁵I have thought it necessary to send to you dEpaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and efellow soldier, and your messenger and fminister to my need, ²⁶for he has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill. ²⁷Indeed he was ill, near to death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. ²⁸I am the more eager to send him, therefore, that you may rejoice at seeing him again, and that I may be less anxious. ²⁹So greceive him in the Lord with all joy, and hhonor such men, ³⁰for he nearly died6 ifor the work of Christ, risking his life jto complete what was lacking in your service to me.

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