hearing of thy love and the faith which thou hast towards the Lord Jesus, and towards all the saints,

whom I have sent back to thee: but do thou receive him, that is, my bowels:

for perhaps for this reason he has been separated from thee for a time, that thou mightest possess him fully for ever;

If therefore thou holdest me to be a partner with thee, receive him as me;

I Paul have written it with mine own hand; I will repay it: that I say not to thee that thou owest even thine own self also to me.

Being confident of thine obedience, I have written to thee, knowing that thou wilt do even more than I say.