²¹ but on taking leave of them he said, “I^[a] will return to you, if God wills.” Then he set sail from Ephesus.^(A)

¹⁹ But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I will find out not the talk of these arrogant people but their power.^(A)

¹⁵ Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wishes, we will live and do this or that.”^(A)

³ And we will do^[a] this, if God permits.

³² so that by God’s will I may come to you with joy and be refreshed in your company.^(A)

¹⁰ asking that by God’s will I may somehow at last succeed in coming to you.

¹⁶ For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, so that he might not have to spend time in Asia; he was eager to be in Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost.^(A)

¹⁷ For it is better to suffer for doing good, if suffering should be God’s will, than to suffer for doing evil.

Timothy and Epaphroditus

¹⁹ I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I, too, may be consoled by news of you. ²⁰ I have no one so like myself who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. ²¹ All of them are seeking their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.^{(A) 22} But Timothy’s^[a] worth you know, how like a son with a father he has served with me in the work of the gospel.^{(B) 23} I hope therefore to send him as soon as I see how things go with me, ²⁴ and I trust in the Lord that I will also come soon.

Final Greetings and Benediction

¹¹ Finally, brothers and sisters, farewell.^[a] Be restored; listen to my appeal;^[b] agree with one another; live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.^(A)