The Mystery of Our Religion

¹⁴ I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these instructions to you so that,

²² One thing more: prepare a guest room for me, for I am hoping through your prayers to be restored to you.^(A)

³⁴ If you are hungry, eat at home,^[a] so that when you come together, it will not be for your condemnation. About the other things I will give instructions when I come.^(A)

¹⁴ instead, I hope to see you soon, and we will talk together face to face.

Final Greetings

¹² Although I have much to write to you, I would rather not use paper and ink; instead, I hope to come to you and talk with you face to face, so that our^[a] joy may be complete.^(A)

²³ I want you to know that our brother Timothy has been set free, and if he comes in time he will be with me when I see you.^(A)

¹³ Until I arrive, give attention to the public reading of scripture,^[a] to exhorting, to teaching.

¹⁸ For we wanted to come to you—certainly I, Paul, wanted to again and again—but Satan blocked our way.^(A)

¹⁵ Since I was sure of this, I wanted to come to you first, so that you might have a double favor;^{[a](A) 16} I wanted to visit you on my way to Macedonia and to come back to you from Macedonia and have you send me on to Judea.^{(B) 17} Was I vacillating when I wanted to do this? Do I make my plans according to ordinary human standards,^[b] ready to say “Yes, yes” and “No, no” at the same time?

Plans for Travel

⁵ I will visit you after passing through Macedonia—for I intend to pass through Macedonia^(A)— ⁶ and perhaps I will stay with you or even spend the winter, so that you may send me on my way, wherever I go. ⁷ I do not want to see you now just in passing, for I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits.