^2 (A)Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving; ³ praying at the same time ^(B)for us as well, that God will open up to us a ^(C)door for ^(D)the word, so that we may proclaim ^(E)the mystery of Christ, for which I have also ^(F)been imprisoned; ⁴ that I may make it clear ^(G)in the way that I ought to proclaim it.

¹⁵ and regard the ^(A)patience of our Lord as salvation; just as also ^(B)our beloved brother Paul, ^(C)according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, ¹⁶ as also in all his letters, speaking in them of ^(D)these things, ^(E)in which there are some things that are hard to understand, which the untaught and ^(F)unstable distort, as they do also ^(G)the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction.

^5 [a](A)Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward ^(B)outsiders, ^[b](C)making the most of the opportunity. ^6 (D)Your speech must always be ^[c]with grace, as though seasoned with ^(E)salt, so that you will know how you should ^(F)respond to each person.

^7 (G)As to all my affairs, ^(H)Tychicus, our ^(I)beloved brother and faithful servant and fellow bond-servant in the Lord, will bring you information. ^8 (J)For I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know about our circumstances and that he may ^(K)encourage your hearts; ^9 [d]and with him is ^(L)Onesimus, our faithful and ^(M)beloved brother, ^(N)who is one of your own. They will inform you about the whole situation here.

^10 (O)Aristarchus, my ^(P)fellow prisoner, sends you his greetings; and also ^(Q)Barnabas’ cousin Mark (about whom you received ^[e]instructions; ^(R)if he comes to you, welcome him); ¹¹ and also Jesus who is called Justus; these are the only ^(S)fellow workers for the kingdom of God ^(T)who are from the circumcision, and they have proved to be an encouragement to me. ^12 (U)Epaphras, ^(V)who is one of your own, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, sends you his greetings, always ^(W)striving earnestly for you in his prayers, that you may ^[f]stand ^[g](X)mature and ^[h]fully assured in all the will of God. ¹³ For I testify for him that he has ^[i]a deep concern for you and for those who are in ^(Y)Laodicea and Hierapolis. ^14 (Z)Luke, the beloved physician, sends you his greetings, and ^(AA)Demas does also. ¹⁵ Greet the brothers and sisters who are in ^(AB)Laodicea and also ^[j]Nympha and ^(AC)the church that is in ^[k]her house.

¹⁰ for ^(A)Demas, having loved ^(B)this present ^[a]world, has deserted me and gone to ^(C)Thessalonica; Crescens has gone to ^[b](D)Galatia, ^(E)Titus to Dalmatia.

¹⁶ At my first defense no one supported me, but all deserted me; ^(A)may it not be counted against them.

¹⁸ The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed, and will ^[a](A)bring me safely to His ^(B)heavenly kingdom; ^(C)to ^[b]Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.