Philemon 1
1 Paul, a prisoner for Jesus Christ, and brother Timothy, to the beloved Philemon, our fellow worker,
Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy the brother, to Philemon our beloved friend and fellow-laborer,
2 and to the beloved Apphia and our fellow soldier Archippus, and to the congregation at your (sg) house:
and to the beloved Apphia, and to Archippus our fellow-soldier, and to the church in thy house:
3 Grace to you (pl) and peace from God our Father and Sovereign Jesus Christ.
Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
4 I always thank my God as I make mention of you (sg) in my prayers,
I thank my God at all times, making mention of thee in my prayers,
5 hearing of your love and faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus, and for all the saints,
hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints;
6 so that the sharing of your (sg) faith may become powerful through a full understanding of every good thing that is among you (pl) who are in Christ Jesus;
that the fellowship of thy faith may become effectual in the knowledge of every good thing which is in us, for Christ Jesus.
7 yes, we have much thanksgiving and encouragement because of your (sg) love, in that the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.
For we have great thankfulness and comfort on account of thy love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed by thee, brother.
8 Now then, though I have all boldness in Christ to order you (sg) to do what is right,
Wherefore, though I have much boldness in Christ to enjoin upon thee that which is befitting,
9 I—being none other than Paul the old man and now also a prisoner for Jesus Christ—would rather appeal to you, for love's sake.
yet for love's sake I beseech thee rather; being such a one as Paul an old man, and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus,
10 I appeal to you on behalf of the son whom I begot while in my chains, Onesimus, whom I am sending back
I beseech thee for my child, whom I begot in my bonds, Onesimus;
11 —formerly he was unprofitable to you, but now he is profitable, both to you and to me.
who in time past was unprofitable to thee, but is now profitable to thee and to me;
12 So receive him, who is my very heart
whom I have sent back; and do thou [[receive]] him, that is, my own flesh.
13 —I would have liked to keep him with me, so that he might minister to me in your place, while I am in chains for the Gospel,
Whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead he might minister to me in the bonds of the gospel;
14 but I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that your contribution might be voluntary, not as an imposition.
but I chose to do nothing without thy consent, that thy benefit may be not as from necessity, but willingly.
15 Perhaps this is why he was removed for a while, so that you would have him forever (aiōnios g166)
For perhaps he was separated from thee for a season to this end, that thou shouldst receive him back as thine for ever; (aiōnios g166)
16 —no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother, very much to me but even more to you, both in flesh and in the Lord.
no longer as a bond-servant, but above a bond-servant, a brother beloved, especially to me, but how much more to thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord!
17 So if you consider me a partner, receive him as if it were me.
If thou then regardest me as a partner, receive him as myself.
18 If he wronged you or owes anything, charge it to me.
And if he wronged thee in anything, or oweth thee, put that to my account.
19 I, Paul, am writing with my own hand, “I will repay” (rather than say to you that you actually owe me your very self!).
I Paul have written it with my own hand, I will repay it; not to say to thee, that to me thou owest even thy own self besides.
20 Yes brother, let me have this benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in the Lord.
Yea, brother, let me have joy of thee in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ.
21 Being confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you (sg) will do even more than I say.
Having confidence in thy obedience I have written to thee, knowing that thou wilt do even more than I say.
22 But meanwhile, do prepare a guest room for me, because I hope that through your (pl) prayers I will be graciously bestowed on you (pl).
And at the same time make ready a lodging for me; for I hope that through your prayers I shall be granted to you.
23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner for Christ Jesus, greets you (sg),
Epaphras, my fellow-prisoner in Christ Jesus,
24 as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke, my fellow workers.
Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow-laborers, salute thee.
25 The grace of our Lord Jesus be with your (pl) spirit. Amen.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.
