Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be glorified, even as also with you;
The apostle Paul uses this word frequently in the concluding portion of his Epistles, introducing practical exhortations, not necessarily implying that the letter is drawing to a close, but marking a transition in the subject matter, as in Philippians 3:1, where the actual conclusion is for the time postponed and the farewell injunctions are resumed in 4:8. See also 1 Thessalonians 4:1 (A.V., "furthermore"); 2 Thessalonians 3:1 (238).