New Revised Standard NRS
The Message Bible MSG
1 I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon of the church at Cenchreae,
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Be sure to welcome our friend Phoebe in the way of the Master, with all the generous hospitality we Christians are famous for. I heartily endorse both her and her work. She's a key representative of the church at Cenchrea.
2 so that you may welcome her in the Lord as is fitting for the saints, and help her in whatever she may require from you, for she has been a benefactor of many and of myself as well.
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Help her out in whatever she asks. She deserves anything you can do for her. She's helped many a person, including me.
3 Greet Prisca and Aquila, who work with me in Christ Jesus,
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Say hello to Priscilla and Aquila, who have worked hand in hand with me in serving Jesus.
4 and who risked their necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles.
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They once put their lives on the line for me. And I'm not the only one grateful to them. All the non-Jewish gatherings of believers also owe them plenty,
5 Greet also the church in their house. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who was the first convert in Asia for Christ.
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to say nothing of the church that meets in their house. Hello to my dear friend Epenetus. He was the very first Christian in the province of Asia.
6 Greet Mary, who has worked very hard among you.
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Hello to Mary. What a worker she has turned out to be!
7 Greet Andronicus and Junia, my relatives who were in prison with me; they are prominent among the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was.
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Hello to my cousins Andronicus and Junias. We once shared a jail cell. They were believers in Christ before I was. Both of them are outstanding leaders.
8 Greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord.
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Hello to Ampliatus, my good friend in the family of God.
9 Greet Urbanus, our co-worker in Christ, and my beloved Stachys.
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Hello to Urbanus, our companion in Christ's work, and my good friend Stachys.
10 Greet Apelles, who is approved in Christ. Greet those who belong to the family of Aristobulus.
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Hello to Apelles, a tried-and-true veteran in following Christ. Hello to the family of Aristobulus.
11 Greet my relative Herodion. Greet those in the Lord who belong to the family of Narcissus.
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Hello to my cousin Herodion. Hello to those Christians from the family of Narcissus.
12 Greet those workers in the Lord, Tryphaena and Tryphosa. Greet the beloved Persis, who has worked hard in the Lord.
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Hello to Tryphena and Tryphosa - such diligent women in serving the Master. Hello to Persis, a dear friend and hard worker in Christ.
13 Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord; and greet his mother—a mother to me also.
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Hello to Rufus - a good choice by the Master! - and his mother. She has also been a dear mother to me.
14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers and sisters who are with them.
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Hello to Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and also to all of their families.
15 Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them.
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Hello to Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas - and all the Christians who live with them.
16 Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you.
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Holy embraces all around! All the churches of Christ send their warmest greetings!
17 I urge you, brothers and sisters, to keep an eye on those who cause dissensions and offenses, in opposition to the teaching that you have learned; avoid them.
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One final word of counsel, friends. Keep a sharp eye out for those who take bits and pieces of the teaching that you learned and then use them to make trouble. Give these people a wide berth.
18 For such people do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the simple-minded.
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They have no intention of living for our Master Christ. They're only in this for what they can get out of it, and aren't above using pious sweet talk to dupe unsuspecting innocents.
19 For while your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, I want you to be wise in what is good and guileless in what is evil.
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And so while there has never been any question about your honesty in these matters - I couldn't be more proud of you! - I want you also to be smart, making sure every "good" thing is the real thing. Don't be gullible in regard to smooth-talking evil. Stay alert like this,
20 The God of peace will shortly crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
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and before you know it the God of peace will come down on Satan with both feet, stomping him into the dirt. Enjoy the best of Jesus!
21 Timothy, my co-worker, greets you; so do Lucius and Jason and Sosipater, my relatives.
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And here are some more greetings from our end. Timothy, my partner in this work, Lucius, and my cousins Jason and Sosipater all said to tell you hello.
22 I Tertius, the writer of this letter, greet you in the Lord.
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I, Tertius, who wrote this letter at Paul's dictation, send you my personal greetings.
23 Gaius, who is host to me and to the whole church, greets you. Erastus, the city treasurer, and our brother Quartus, greet you.
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Gaius, who is host here to both me and the whole church, wants to be remembered to you. Erastus, the city treasurer, and our good friend Quartus send their greetings.
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25 Now to God who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages
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All of our praise rises to the One who is strong enough to make you strong, exactly as preached in Jesus Christ, precisely as revealed in the mystery kept secret for so long
26 but is now disclosed, and through the prophetic writings is made known to all the Gentiles, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith—
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but now an open book through the prophetic Scriptures. All the nations of the world can now know the truth and be brought into obedient belief, carrying out the orders of God, who got all this started, down to the very last letter.
27 to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever! Amen.
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All our praise is focused through Jesus on this incomparably wise God! Yes!
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.