20
"I hope that you and your families are in good health and that all goes well with you. My hope is in God,
21
and I remember with a deep sense of joy the respect and kindness that you have shown me. "On my way home from Persia I fell violently ill, and so I thought it best to begin making plans for the general welfare of the people.
22
I have not given up hopes of getting well; in fact I am fully confident that I will recover.
23
But I recall that my father used to appoint a successor whenever he went on a military campaign east of the Euphrates.
24
He did this so that if something unexpected happened, or if some bad news came back, then his subjects would not be afraid, for they knew who had been left in command.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.