The Daily Audio Bible

¹⁹ I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, so that I also may be of good comfort when I know your state. ²⁰ For I have no man who is minded so like me, who with such pure affection cares for your matters. ²¹ For all others seek their own, and not that which is Jesus Christ’s. ²² You know the proof of him, how as a son with the father he bestowed his labour upon the gospel with me. ²³ I hope to send him as soon as I know how it will go with me. ²⁴ I trust in the Lord that I also myself may come shortly.

²⁵ I supposed it necessary to send to you brother Epaphroditus, my companion in labour and fellow-soldier – your apostle, and my minister at my need. ²⁶ For he longed after you, and was full of heaviness because you had heard that he was sick. ²⁷ And without question he was sick, and that near to death. But God had mercy on him – not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. ²⁸ I sent him therefore the more quickly, so that when you saw him you might rejoice again, and I might be less sorrowful. ²⁹ Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness. And make much of such a one, ³⁰ because for the work of Christ he went so far that he was near to death, and regarded not his life, to provide that service which was lacking on your part toward me.

He warns them to beware of false teachers, whom he calls dogs, evil workers, and enemies of Christ. He reproves man’s own righteousness.

3 Moreover, my brethren, put your trust in the Lord. It grieves me not to write the same thing often to you, for to you it is a safeguard. ² Beware of dogs. Beware of evil workers. Beware of dissension.

³ For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, and trust in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh –