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 Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church that meets at 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 and peace to you 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 always thank my God, remembering you in my prayers,

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

5 because I hear about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints.

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

6 I pray that your partnership in the faith may become effective as you fully acknowledge every good thing that is ours in Christ.

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 I take great joy and encouragement in your love, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints.

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 So although in Christ I am bold enough to order you to do what is proper,

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

9 I prefer to appeal on the basis of love. For I, Paul, am now aged, and a prisoner of Christ Jesus as well.

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, whose father I became while I was in chains.

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

11 Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both 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 back to you him who is my very heart.

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

13 I would have liked to keep him with me, so that on your behalf he could minister to me in my chains for the gospel.

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 did not want to do anything without your consent, so that your goodness will not be out of compulsion, but by your own 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 this is why he was separated from you for a while, so that you might have him back for good— (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 better than a slave, as a beloved brother. He is especially beloved to me, but even more so to you, both in person 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 So if you consider 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 in any way or owes you anything, charge it 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 that you owe me your very self.

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 some benefit from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ.

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

21 Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask.

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 In the meantime, prepare a guest room for me, because 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, sends you greetings,

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 the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

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