Philemon 1

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

Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon, our beloved friend and fellow worker,

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

and also to the beloved Apphia, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church that meets in yoʋr 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 give praise to God at all times and make prayer for you,

I give thanks to my God, always making mention of yoʋ in my prayers,

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

because I hear of yoʋr love for all the saints and the faith that yoʋ have toward the Lord Jesus.

6 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.

I pray that yoʋr fellowship with us in the faith may be effective in deepening yoʋr understanding of every blessing that we have in Christ Jesus.

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

We are very thankful for the comfort we have received from yoʋr love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through yoʋ, brother.

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

Therefore, although I am bold enough in Christ to command yoʋ to do what is right,

9 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:

I would rather appeal to yoʋ on the basis of love. I, Paul, an old man and now a prisoner for Jesus Christ,

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

appeal to yoʋ on behalf of my child, Onesimus, whose father I have become during my imprisonment.

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

Once he was useless to yoʋ, but now he is useful both to yoʋ and to me. I am sending him back,

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

and I ask yoʋ to receive him, that is, my very own heart.

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

I wanted to keep him with me so that he could serve me in yoʋr place during my imprisonment for the gospel.

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

But I did not want to do anything without yoʋr consent, so that yoʋr good deed would not be done out of compulsion, but of yoʋr own free will.

15 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)

Perhaps the reason he was separated from yoʋ for an hour was so that yoʋ might have him back forever, (aiōnios g166)

16 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.

no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, as a beloved brother, especially to me, but even more so to yoʋ, both in the flesh and in the Lord.

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

So if yoʋ consider me to be a partner, receive him as yoʋ would receive me.

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

If he has wronged yoʋ in any way or owes yoʋ anything, charge it to me.

19 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.

I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it (not to mention that yoʋ owe me yoʋr very own life).

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

Yes, brother, let me have some benefit from yoʋ in the Lord. Refresh my heart in the Lord.

21 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.

Trusting in yoʋr obedience, I write to yoʋ, knowing that yoʋ will do even more than I ask.

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

At the same time, I want yoʋ to prepare a guest room for me, for I hope that through your prayers I will be restored to you soon.

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

Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus,

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

and Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers, greet yoʋ.

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

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