2:25 But for now 1 I have considered it necessary to send Epaphroditus to you. For he is my brother, 2 coworker and fellow soldier, and your messenger 3 and minister 4 to me in my need. 5 2:26 Indeed, he greatly missed all of you and was distressed because you heard that he had been ill. 2:27 In fact he became so ill that he nearly died. 6 But God showed mercy to him – and not to him only, but also to me – so that I would not have grief on top of grief. 2:28 Therefore I am all the more eager to send him, 7 so that when you see him again you can rejoice 8 and I can be free from anxiety. 2:29 So welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor people like him, 2:30 since it was because of the work of Christ that he almost died. He risked his life so that he could make up for your inability to serve me. 9
1 tn Grk “But.” The temporal notion (“for now”) is implied in the epistolary aorist (“I have considered”), for Epaphroditus was dispatched with this letter to the Philippians.
2 tn Grk “my brother” instead of “For he is my brother.” Verse 25 constitutes one sentence in Greek, with “my brother…” functioning appositionally to “Epaphroditus.”
sn The reason why Paul refers to Epaphroditus as his brother, coworker, fellow soldier, etc., is because he wants to build up Epaphroditus in the eyes of the Philippians, since Paul is sending him back instead of Timothy. This accent on Epaphroditus’ character and service is implied in the translation “For he is…”
3 tn Grk “apostle.”
4 tn The Greek word translated “minister” here is λειτουργός (leitourgo").
5 tn Grk “servant of my need.”
6 tn Grk “For he became ill to the point of death.”
7 tn Grk “I have sent him to you with earnestness.” But the epistolary aorist needs to be translated as a present tense with this adverb due to English stylistic considerations.
8 tn Or “when you see him you can rejoice again.”
9 tn Grk “make up for your lack of service to me.”