Read the Bible

¹ Wagon bosses, treat the day hands like they were your own precious sons. Do what is right and just. Remember, you too are just a day hand and you have a Boss in heaven.

Additional Insights

² Be diligent in prayer, thankfulness, and focus. ³ Don't forget us in your prayers as well. Ask God to open locked gates so we may go in and gather strays and remnants who are sick and hurting. We will doctor them with the good news, which is the mystery of Jesus. It's for him that I suffer in the saddle. ⁴ Pray that I can make the gospel easy to understand. ⁵ Watch how you deal with folks who don't ride for the brand. ⁶ Use every interaction as an opportunity to reveal God. Be someone they can look up to. Bring value to their lives by showing them grace and mercy. These are the answers to every interaction.

Last Words

⁷ Tychicus is going to fill you in on the rest of what I've been up to and how I am doing. He's a top hand for the Lord and I am so thankful for him. ⁸ I chose him because he's going to tell y'all the truth about what we've been going through. This message is going to encourage y'all to keep on keeping on. ⁹ Onesimus in going to be riding with him. He's also a top hand and one of y'all. They're going to tell y'all everything.

¹⁰ My cellmate, Aristarchus, says to tell y'all hello. Mark, Barnabas's cousin, is also here with us. If Mark comes to see y'all, welcome him as if it were me. ¹¹ Jesus (not the Lord, but the one we call Justus) also said to tell y'all hello. These are the only Jews who now ride for the brand of Christ who have joined me in this gathering. They have been great hands and a comfort to me on my journey.

¹² Epaphras, one of your own cowboys and a friend to us, sends greetings as well. He's constantly praying for y'all to become better and better cowboys, strong and perfect in Christ. He asks God to fill y'all with confidence in your ride with the Lord. ¹³ Don't let there be any doubt that he is one who is praying for y'all and all the cowboys in Laodicea and Hierapolis.

¹⁴ Doctor Luke and Demas give their love and prayers as well. ¹⁵ Please give a hug and a handshake to the cowboys and cowgirls at Laodicea, as well as the rest of the outfit that meets at Nympha's house.

¹⁶ After you show this letter to everyone there, send it on to Laodicea so they can take a gander at it. I'm sending a letter to them too, so get theirs and read what I wrote them.

¹⁷ Tell Archippus I said to finish the gathering God had appointed him to.

¹⁸ This greeting is written by me, Paul, in my own hand. Remember the chains I am in for your sake. May God's grace always be with you.