Philemon 1

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

Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon, our beloved friend 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 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 thank my God, always making mention of thee at my prayers,

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

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

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

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].

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 we have great thankfulness and encouragement through thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, 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 Wherefore having much boldness in Christ to enjoin thee what is fitting,

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

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

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

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

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

11 once unserviceable to thee, but now serviceable to thee 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 thee: [but do thou receive] him, that is, my bowels:

and I ask yoʋ to receive him, that is, my very 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;

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

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

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 perhaps for this reason he has been separated [from thee] for a time, that thou mightest possess him fully 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 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 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 therefore thou holdest me to be a partner [with thee], receive him as me;

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

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

If he has wronged yoʋ in any way or owes yoʋ anything, charge it 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, write this with my own hand: I will repay it (not to mention that yoʋ owe me yoʋr very own life).

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

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

21 Being confident of thine obedience, I have written to thee, knowing that thou wilt 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 But withal prepare me also a lodging; for I hope that I shall be granted to you through your prayers.

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 salutes thee, my fellow-prisoner in Christ Jesus;

Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus,

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

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

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

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