19. If the Lord Jesus is willing, I hope to send Timothy to you soon for a visit. Then he can cheer me up by telling me how you are getting along.
20. I have no one else like Timothy, who genuinely cares about your welfare.
21. All the others care only for themselves and not for what matters to Jesus Christ.
22. But you know how Timothy has proved himself. Like a son with his father, he has served with me in preaching the Good News.
23. I hope to send him to you just as soon as I find out what is going to happen to me here.
24. And I have confidence from the Lord that I myself will come to see you soon.
25. Meanwhile, I thought I should send Epaphroditus back to you. He is a true brother, co-worker, and fellow soldier. And he was your messenger to help me in my need.
26. I am sending him because he has been longing to see you, and he was very distressed that you heard he was ill.