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I am now moving on to speak about the money that I am collecting for God’s people {who are Jewish}. I want you to do what I instructed the groups of believers {who live} in the region of Galatia to do. 2 During each Sunday, every one of you should take some money out of whatever you have earned and save it. That way, I will not need to collect money when I visit you. 3 Choose some trustworthy people from your group. When I visit you, I will have them take the money {that you have collected} to the city of Jerusalem. Also, I will give them letters {that say that I have authorized them}. 4 You and I may decide that I should go {to Jerusalem} as well. In that case, the people {whom you choose} will travel with me.5 I am going to visit you after I travel through the region of Macedonia, which is the way I will be traveling. 6 In fact, I may spend some time with you, maybe the whole winter. That way, you can assist me in traveling to wherever I decide to go next. 7 {I am making these plans} because I would rather wait to be with you for a long time than visit you right now for just a short time. I confidently expect to do this as long as it is what the Lord wants {me to do}. 8 For now, I plan on remaining here in the city of Ephesus until the Pentecost festival. 9 {I am remaining here} because God has allowed me to effectively and freely proclaim the good news. {Further, I need to resist} the large number of people who are working against me.
10 Whenever Timothy arrives {in your city}, make sure that he feels safe when he is with you. {You should do this} because he serves the Lord {by proclaiming the good news}, just like I do. 11 So, do not treat him disrespectfully. Rather, act in a friendly way by assisting him in traveling back to me. {You should do this} because I anticipate that he will come back to me with the other believers {who are traveling to visit me}.
12 I am now moving on to speak about our fellow believer, Apollos. I firmly urged him to visit you with the other believers {who were traveling to visit you}. However, he firmly decided that it was not the right time to visit you. Instead, he will visit you when he thinks that it is the right time.
13 Watch out {for what is wrong}! Firmly believe {the good news}! Be courageous! Be determined! 14 You should focus on loving others whenever you think or do anything.
15 You know that those who live in the house of Stephanas were the first people {to believe the good news} in the region of Achaia. Further, they have chosen to serve God’s people. I ask you, my fellow believers, 16 to honor and obey them and other people like them. In fact, {you should honor and obey} every person who works hard {to proclaim the good news} with us. 17 I am happy that Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus arrived here. {That is} because they have allowed me to connect with you all even when you are not with me. 18 They encouraged and energized both me and you. Therefore, you should honor them and other people like them.
19 The groups of believers here in the region of Asia say hello to you. Aquila and Priscilla, as those whom God has also united to the Lord, say hello to you affectionately. The believers that gather in their house {also say hello to you}. 20 All the fellow believers {who are with me} say hello to you. Welcome each other in a loving way.
21 I, Paul, say hello {to you}. I am writing {these last words} myself {instead of having my scribe write them}. 22 May God curse everyone who fails to love the Lord. I pray that the Lord returns soon. 23 {I pray that} the Lord Jesus will be gracious to you. 24 I continue to love all of you, since God has united us together with Jesus the Messiah. May it be so!