9 Do your best to come to me soon. 10 For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia. 11 Luke alone is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is very useful to me for ministry. 12 Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus. 13 When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, also the books, and above all the parchments. 14 Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm; the Lord will repay him according to his deeds. 15 Beware of him yourself, for he strongly opposed our message. 16 At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me. May it not be charged against them! 17 But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. 18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
Final Greetings
19 Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus. 20 Erastus remained at Corinth, and I left Trophimus, who was ill, at Miletus. 21 Do your best to come before winter. Eubulus sends greetings to you, as do Pudens and Linus and Claudia and all the brothers.
22 The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you.
St Paul is getting ready for his great confession before Caesar. While in prison in Caesarea Philippi, St Paul had to make a few defenses of his faith against the Jews who wished to have him killed. He also had many conversations with Felix in order to defend the faith. But now before winter comes he will set sail for Rome. There he will make his appeal to Caesar.
St Paul has a list of things that will be able to help him in his appeal. These are the books and parchments which he needs. His cloak will also be of benefit to him as he travels. So even as we prepare to give a defense of our faith, should desire to pour over the texts of scripture. St Paul desires Timothy to join him and bring the scriptures. While St Paul warns Timothy about the coppersmith, you can recall the various times St Paul was jailed or persecuted by 'idol makers' on account of his preaching.
So we can see a glimpse of something special, St Paul gathering his resources and those who have worked with him in the past, so that he can give a proper defense of the faith. This can remind us of the Lutheran princes gathering to make their confession at Augsburg. It can remind us of the Lutheran teachers gathering together to make their confession in the Formula of Concord. Likewise, today as churches gather together in convention to hammer out their positions and statements for the people.
The sad thing is that most modern conventions and summits forget about the key component here. No, it is not St Paul's cloak, but rather the scrolls and books and parchments. What has God told his people in the past? How has God taught his people in the past? and What does God have to say to the World today? It is not about our great speech. It is not even about our modern scientific thought. It is about the gift God has revealed to us in his word. Jesus Christ came to teach this very lesson.
You can not do it on your own. If you desire to rescue yourself, you will fail. Therefore, St Paul tells Timothy, "The LORD will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To HIM be the glory forever and ever. Amen."
St Paul has a list of things that will be able to help him in his appeal. These are the books and parchments which he needs. His cloak will also be of benefit to him as he travels. So even as we prepare to give a defense of our faith, should desire to pour over the texts of scripture. St Paul desires Timothy to join him and bring the scriptures. While St Paul warns Timothy about the coppersmith, you can recall the various times St Paul was jailed or persecuted by 'idol makers' on account of his preaching.
So we can see a glimpse of something special, St Paul gathering his resources and those who have worked with him in the past, so that he can give a proper defense of the faith. This can remind us of the Lutheran princes gathering to make their confession at Augsburg. It can remind us of the Lutheran teachers gathering together to make their confession in the Formula of Concord. Likewise, today as churches gather together in convention to hammer out their positions and statements for the people.
The sad thing is that most modern conventions and summits forget about the key component here. No, it is not St Paul's cloak, but rather the scrolls and books and parchments. What has God told his people in the past? How has God taught his people in the past? and What does God have to say to the World today? It is not about our great speech. It is not even about our modern scientific thought. It is about the gift God has revealed to us in his word. Jesus Christ came to teach this very lesson.
You can not do it on your own. If you desire to rescue yourself, you will fail. Therefore, St Paul tells Timothy, "The LORD will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To HIM be the glory forever and ever. Amen."
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