Philemon 1

1 Paul, prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timotheus the brother, to Philemon the beloved and our fellow-workman,

Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timotheus the brother, to Philemon our beloved and fellow-worker,

2 and to the sister Apphia and to Archippus our fellow-soldier, and to the assembly which [is] in thine house.

and Apphia the beloved, and Archippus our fellow-soldier, and the assembly 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 thee at my prayers,

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

5 hearing of thy love and the faith which thou hast towards the Lord Jesus, and towards all the saints,

hearing of your love and faith that you have to the Lord Jesus and toward all the holy ones,

6 in such sort that thy participation in the faith should become operative in the acknowledgment of every good thing which is in us towards Christ [Jesus].

that the fellowship of your faith may become working in the full knowledge of every good thing that [is] in you toward Christ Jesus;

7 For we have great thankfulness and encouragement through thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother.

for we have much joy and comfort in your love, because the yearnings of the holy ones have been refreshed through you, brother.

8 Wherefore having much boldness in Christ to enjoin thee what is fitting,

For this reason, having in Christ much boldness to command you that which is fit—

9 for love's sake I rather exhort, being such a one as Paul the aged, and now also prisoner of Jesus Christ.

because of the love I rather plead, being such a one as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ;

10 I exhort thee for my child, whom I have begotten in [my] bonds, Onesimus,

I beg you concerning my child—whom I begot in my bonds—Onesimus,

11 once unserviceable to thee, but now serviceable to thee and to me:

who once was to you unprofitable, and now is profitable to me and to you,

12 whom I have sent back to thee: [but do thou receive] him, that is, my bowels:

whom I sent again to you—he who is my own heart,

13 whom I was desirous of keeping with myself, that for thee he might minister to me in the bonds of the glad tidings;

whom I intended to retain to myself, that in your behalf he might minister to me in the bonds of the good news,

14 but I have wished to do nothing without thy mind, that thy good might not be as of necessity but of willingness:

but apart from your mind I willed to do nothing, so that your good deed may not be as of necessity, but of willingness,

15 for perhaps for this reason he has been separated [from thee] for a time, that thou mightest possess him fully for ever; (aiōnios g166)

for perhaps because of this he departed for an hour, that you may have him continuously, (aiōnios g166)

16 not any longer as a bondman, but above a bondman, a beloved brother, specially to me, and how much rather to thee, both in [the] flesh and in [the] Lord?

no longer as a servant, but above a servant—a beloved brother, especially to me, and how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the LORD!

17 If therefore thou holdest me to be a partner [with thee], receive him as me;

If, then, you have fellowship with me, receive him as me,

18 but if he have wronged thee anything or owe anything [to thee], put this to my account.

and if he did hurt to you, or owes anything, charge this to me;

19 I Paul have written [it] with mine own hand; I will repay [it]: that I say not to thee that thou owest even thine own self also to me.

I, Paul, wrote with my hand, I will repay; besides, that I may not say that you also owe to me yourself.

20 Yea, brother, I would have profit of thee in [the] Lord: refresh my bowels in Christ.

Yes, brother, may I have profit of you in the LORD; refresh my yearnings in the LORD;

21 Being confident of thine obedience, I have written to thee, knowing that thou wilt do even more than I say.

I wrote to you having been confident in your obedience, having known that you will also do above what I may say;

22 But withal prepare me also a lodging; for I hope that I shall be granted to you through your prayers.

and at the same time also prepare for me a lodging, for I hope that through your prayers I will be granted to you.

23 Epaphras salutes thee, my fellow-prisoner in Christ Jesus;

Epaphras greets you (my fellow-captive in Christ Jesus),

24 Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow-workmen.

Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, my fellow-workmen!

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

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ [is] with your spirit! Amen.