³⁰ I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in earnest prayer to God on my behalf,^(A)

¹² Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ,^[a] greets you. He is always striving in his prayers on your behalf, so that you may stand mature and fully assured^[b] in everything that God wills.^(A)

¹¹ as you also join in helping us by your prayers, so that many may give thanks on our^[a] behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.^(A)

²⁵ Brothers and sisters, pray for us.^(A)

¹¹ For we who are living are always being handed over to death for Jesus’s sake, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our mortal flesh.

Request for Prayer

3 Finally, brothers and sisters, pray for us, so that the word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be glorified everywhere, just as it is among you,^(A)

Imitating Christ’s Humility

2 If, then, there is any comfort in Christ, any consolation from love, any partnership in the Spirit, any tender affection and sympathy,^(A)

²⁴ Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak.^{(A) 25} When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he struck him on the hip socket, and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. ²⁶ Then he said, “Let me go, for the day is breaking.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go, unless you bless me.”^{(B) 27} So he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” ²⁸ Then the man^[a] said, “You shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel,^[b] for you have striven with God and with humans^[c] and have prevailed.”^{(C) 29} Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him.^(D)

2 For I want you to know how greatly I strive for you and for those in Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face.

⁵ For we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus’s sake.^(A)