Philemon 1

1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon, our beloved fellow worker,

Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon, our dear helper in the faith,

2 to the beloved Apphia, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the assembly in your house:

And to Apphia, our sister, and to Archippus, our brother in God's army, and to the church in your house:

3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

4 I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers,

I give praise to God at all times and make prayer for you,

5 hearing of your love and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints,

Hearing of the love and the faith which you have to the Lord Jesus and to all the saints;

6 that the fellowship of your faith may become effective in the knowledge of every good thing which is in us in Christ Jesus.

That the faith which you have in common with them may be working with power, in the knowledge of every good thing in you, for Christ.

7 For we have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.

For I had great joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been made strong again through you, brother.

8 Therefore though I have all boldness in Christ to command you that which is appropriate,

And so, though I might, in the name of Christ, give you orders to do what is right,

9 yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you, being such a one as Paul, the aged, but also a prisoner of Jesus Christ.

Still, because of love, in place of an order, I make a request to you, I, Paul, an old man and now a prisoner of Christ Jesus:

10 I appeal to you for my child Onesimus, whom I have become the father of in my chains,

My request is for my child Onesimus, the child of my chains,

11 who once was useless to you, but now is useful to you and to me.

Who in the past was of no profit to you, but now is of profit to you and to me:

12 I am sending him back. Therefore receive him, that is, my own heart,

Whom I have sent back to you, him who is my very heart:

13 whom I desired to keep with me, that on your behalf he might serve me in my chains for the Good News.

Though my desire was to keep him with me, to be my servant in the chains of the good news, in your place:

14 But I was willing to do nothing without your consent, that your goodness would not be as of necessity, but of free will.

But without your approval I would do nothing; so that your good works might not be forced, but done freely from your heart.

15 For perhaps he was therefore separated from you briefly, that you would now have him wholly (aiōnios g166),

For it is possible that for this reason he was parted from you for a time, so that you might have him for ever; (aiōnios g166)

16 no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother—especially to me, but how much rather to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.

No longer as a servant, but more than a servant, a brother, very dear to me specially, but much more to you, in the flesh as well as in the Lord.

17 If then you count me a partner, receive him as you would receive me.

If then you take me to be your friend and brother, take him in as myself.

18 But if he has wronged you at all or owes you anything, put that to my account.

If he has done you any wrong or is in debt to you for anything, put it to my account.

19 I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it (not to mention to you that you owe to me even your own self besides).

I, Paul, writing this myself, say, I will make payment to you: and I do not say to you that you are in debt to me even for your life.

20 Yes, brother, let me have joy from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in the Lord.

So brother, let me have joy of you in the Lord: give new life to my heart in Christ.

21 Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even beyond what I say.

Being certain that you will do my desire, I am writing to you, in the knowledge that you will do even more than I say.

22 Also, prepare a guest room for me, for I hope that through your prayers I will be restored to you.

And make a room ready for me; for I am hoping that through your prayers I will be given to you.

23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you,

Epaphras, my brother-prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you his love;

24 as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.

And so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my brother-workers.

25 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. So be it.