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29 Welcome him in the Lord’s love[a] and with great joy, and give him the honor that people like him deserve.

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Footnotes

  1. 2:29 Greek in the Lord.

29 So then, welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor people like him,(A)

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17 Elders who do their work well should be respected and paid well,[a] especially those who work hard at both preaching and teaching.

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Footnotes

  1. 5:17 Greek should be worthy of double honor.

17 The elders(A) who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor,(B) especially those whose work is preaching and teaching.

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Paul’s Final Advice

12 Dear brothers and sisters, honor those who are your leaders in the Lord’s work. They work hard among you and give you spiritual guidance.

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Final Instructions

12 Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard(A) among you, who care for you in the Lord(B) and who admonish you.

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18 They have been a wonderful encouragement to me, as they have been to you. You must show your appreciation to all who serve so well.

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18 For they refreshed(A) my spirit and yours also. Such men deserve recognition.(B)

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Welcome her in the Lord as one who is worthy of honor among God’s people. Help her in whatever she needs, for she has been helpful to many, and especially to me.

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I ask you to receive her in the Lord(A) in a way worthy of his people(B) and to give her any help she may need from you, for she has been the benefactor of many people, including me.

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40 “Anyone who receives you receives me, and anyone who receives me receives the Father who sent me. 41 If you receive a prophet as one who speaks for God,[a] you will be given the same reward as a prophet. And if you receive righteous people because of their righteousness, you will be given a reward like theirs.

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Footnotes

  1. 10:41 Greek receive a prophet in the name of a prophet.

40 “Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me,(A) and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.(B) 41 Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward.

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18 When people commend themselves, it doesn’t count for much. The important thing is for the Lord to commend them.

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18 For it is not the one who commends himself(A) who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.(B)

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10 When Timothy comes, don’t intimidate him. He is doing the Lord’s work, just as I am.

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10 When Timothy(A) comes, see to it that he has nothing to fear while he is with you, for he is carrying on the work of the Lord,(B) just as I am.

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10 When I come, I will report some of the things he is doing and the evil accusations he is making against us. Not only does he refuse to welcome the traveling teachers, he also tells others not to help them. And when they do help, he puts them out of the church.

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10 So when I come,(A) I will call attention to what he is doing, spreading malicious nonsense about us. Not satisfied with that, he even refuses to welcome other believers.(B) He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church.(C)

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17 Obey your spiritual leaders, and do what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls, and they are accountable to God. Give them reason to do this with joy and not with sorrow. That would certainly not be for your benefit.

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17 Have confidence in your leaders(A) and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you(B) as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.

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10 Aristarchus, who is in prison with me, sends you his greetings, and so does Mark, Barnabas’s cousin. As you were instructed before, make Mark welcome if he comes your way.

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10 My fellow prisoner Aristarchus(A) sends you his greetings, as does Mark,(B) the cousin of Barnabas.(C) (You have received instructions about him; if he comes to you, welcome him.)

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Notice that it says “he ascended.” This clearly means that Christ also descended to our lowly world.[a] 10 And the same one who descended is the one who ascended higher than all the heavens, so that he might fill the entire universe with himself.

11 Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. 12 Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ.

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Footnotes

  1. 4:9 Some manuscripts read to the lower parts of the earth.

(What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions[a]? 10 He who descended is the very one who ascended(A) higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.)(B) 11 So Christ himself gave(C) the apostles,(D) the prophets,(E) the evangelists,(F) the pastors and teachers,(G) 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ(H) may be built up(I)

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Footnotes

  1. Ephesians 4:9 Or the depths of the earth

Please open your hearts to us. We have not done wrong to anyone, nor led anyone astray, nor taken advantage of anyone.

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Paul’s Joy Over the Church’s Repentance

Make room for us in your hearts.(A) We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have exploited no one.

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