1 Oct. Ephesians 6:18-24

1 Oct. Paul asks for prayer and sends his greetings

"Always pray for all God's people. Also pray for me that when I speak, God will give me words so that I can tell the secret of the Good News without fear."

“I have been sent to preach this Good News, and I am doing that now, here in prison. Pray that when I preach the Good News I will speak without fear, as I should."

"I am sending to you Tychicus, our brother whom we love and a faithful servant of the Lord's work. He will tell you everything that is happening with me. Then you will know how I am and what I am doing. I am sending him to you for this reason - so that you will know how we are, and he can encourage you."

"Peace and love with faith to you from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace to all of you who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love that never ends."

          (Ephesians 6:18-24)

 

 

Paul ends his Letter to the Ephesians by asking them to pray - for other Christian brothers and sisters, and also for himself.

Paul's letter was written to the believers in Ephesus in c.60AD while Paul was under house arrest in Rome, awaiting trial before the emperor Nero. He was literally "imprisoned" - in the sense that he was under house arrest - rather than "in prison", and this is made clear by the fact that he was allowed visitors, and was allowed to preach to them.

His words would also be heard, of course, by the Roman soldiers who were guarding him, so Paul was understandably nervous as he had to be careful to make sure that anything he said about Jesus as 'king' could not be misunderstood by the Romans to be treasonous.

So Paul asked the believers to pray for wisdom for him, so he could choose his words carefully and "can tell the secret of the Good News without fear." (Ephesians 6:19)

As a precaution, Paul was not writing down anything which was too sensitive and could be used against him if his letter was intercepted by the Roman authorities, so he was sending his letter with a fellow-worker - Tychicus - to give the believers a verbal report on how he really was coping under house arrest in Rome. "I am sending him to you for this reason - so that you will know how we are, and he can encourage you." (Ephesians 6:22)

Paul finished his letter with a frequently used blessing or 'benediction' - a 'speaking of good words' or 'goodbye': "Peace and love" from God the Father and Jesus Christ, and "Grace" (God's undeserved love) to all who love Jesus. (Ephesians 6:23-24)

The photo shows the amphitheatre and the Arcadian Way at Ephesus.

You can read and study the whole of St Paul's letter to the church in Ephesus starting @ https://www.thebiblejourney.org/…/…/pauls-letter-to-ephesus/

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