保罗有许多攻击他的敌人，但他也有很多爱护他的朋友。他们与他一起同行上路，照顾他的需要，甚至与他一同被囚。他们是他宣教队伍的成员。你曾否数算过保罗在他的书信中，曾经提及多少位朋友呢？

保罗在这段经文中提及了谁人？推基古究竟是谁？他是亚洲人(徒二十4)，负责送信到歌罗西。保罗似乎给他很高的评价，称他为「亲爱的弟兄」和「忠心的执事」。

推基古对保罗可谓至死忠心。保罗分别在提多书三章12节和提摩太后书四章12节提到他。我们不要忘记，保罗当时已是囚犯，更是被判了死刑的死囚，要做一个死囚的朋友，实在是相当危险。可是，推基古因着对基督的爱，以及对保罗的真挚友谊，所以一直在他身边支持着他。我们是否这样忠心对待自己的朋友呢？

阿尼西母将会与推基古同行。我们会称阿尼西母是「出走的仆人」，但保罗却从来不会这样称呼他。他同样称他是「亲爱忠心的兄弟」。我们岂不经常将某些人标签化，例如说：「那个人从前是个酒鬼；那个女人从前是吸毒的」之类？我们总喜欢记着别人的不光彩的往事，但保罗却总是记着其他信徒的好处。

接着，他提到三位犹太人的朋友：亚里达古、马可和犹士都。亚里达古是来自马其顿的犹太人(徒二十4)。当保罗置身于各种艰难的困境，例如在以弗所的暴动，以及被押送往罗马的途中，亚里达古都一直在保罗身边。

马可这位年青人曾经令保罗失望，但后来他已经变好；保罗在这里便亲切地赞赏他。犹士都只在这里被提及，所以我们对他认识不多。事实上，在神的嘉许册上有许多这类人名：我们虽不认识，却是神所爱和深得朋友赞赏的。

Paul had many enemies but he also had some very wonderful friends. They travelled with him. They cared for him and even went to prison with him. They were part of his evangelistic team. Have you ever tried to count up the total number of friends Paul mentions in his epistles?

Who does Paul name here in this passage? Who was Tychicus? He was from Asia (Acts 20:4) and he carried this epistle to the church at Colosse. He seems to have meant a lot to Paul. He calls Tychicus a 'beloved brother' and a 'faithful servant'.

Tychicus remained faithful to Paul to the very end. Paul speaks of this in Titus 3:12 and in 2 Timothy 4:12. Remember it was dangerous in those days to be a friend of a prisoner, especially one condemned to death. But love for Christ and the genuineness of Christian friendship kept Tychicus at Paul's side right through. How faithful are you to your friends?

Onesimus was going to travel with Tychicus. We call him the 'runaway slave' but Paul never called him that. He said 'our faithful and beloved brother'. Do we too often identify someone like this 'You know-the fellow who was the drunkard, the alcoholic or the woman who used to be on drugs'? Why don't we forget the past? Paul always said the very best he could of any fellow-Christian.

Then he mentions three Jewish friends, Aristarchus, Mark and Justus. Aristarchus was a Jew from Macedonia (Acts 20:4) who was faithful under difficult circumstances, as in the riots in Ephesus and when Paul sailed as a prisoner to Rome. Aristarchus shared with Paul in all the experiences on the way to Rome and even in prison.

Mark was the young man who finally made good. Here Paul warmly commends him. Justus is unknown to us except for this reference. God's honour roll has many such names, unknown to us but known and loved by God and by a few of the Lord's people.