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 Timothy our brother, to Philemon, our beloved fellow worker,
2 and to the sister Apphia and to Archippus our fellow-soldier, and to the assembly which [is] in thine house.
to the beloved Apphia, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to 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 thank 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 of the faith which you have towards the Lord Jesus and towards all the saints,
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 effective in the knowledge of every good thing which is in us 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.
For we have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.
8 Wherefore having much boldness in Christ to enjoin thee what is fitting,
Therefore though I have all boldness in Christ to command you that which is appropriate,
9 for love's sake I rather exhort, being such a one as Paul the aged, and now also prisoner of Jesus Christ.
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.
10 I exhort thee for my child, whom I have begotten in [my] bonds, Onesimus,
I appeal to you for my child Onesimus, whom I have become the father of in my chains,
11 once unserviceable to thee, but now serviceable to thee and to me:
who once was useless to you, but now is useful to you and to me.
12 whom I have sent back to thee: [but do thou receive] him, that is, my bowels:
I am sending him back. Therefore receive him, that 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 desired to keep with me, that on your behalf he might serve me in my chains for 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 I was willing to do nothing without your consent, that your goodness would not be as of necessity, but of 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)
For perhaps he was therefore separated from you for a while that you would have him 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, a beloved brother—especially to me, but how much rather 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 count me a partner, receive him as you would receive me.
18 but if he have wronged thee anything or owe anything [to thee], put this to my account.
But if he has wronged you at all or owes you anything, put that to my account.
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 to you that you owe to me even your own self besides).
20 Yea, brother, I would have profit of thee in [the] Lord: refresh my bowels in Christ.
Yes, brother, let me have joy from you 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.
Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even beyond what I say.
22 But withal prepare me also a lodging; for I hope that I shall be granted to you through your prayers.
Also, prepare a guest room for me, for I hope that through your prayers I will be restored to you.
23 Epaphras salutes thee, my fellow-prisoner in Christ Jesus;
Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you,
24 Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow-workmen.
as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.
25 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ [be] with your spirit.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
