< Philemon 1 >
1 Paul, a prisoner for Jesus Christ, and brother Timothy, to the beloved Philemon, our fellow worker,
[I], Paul, am a prisoner [who serves] Christ Jesus. [I am here] with Timothy, our fellow believer. [I am writing this letter] to [you], Philemon, our dear [friend] and fellow worker.
2 and to the beloved Apphia and our fellow soldier Archippus, and to the congregation at your (sg) house:
[I am also writing] to [your wife], Apphia, and to Archippus, [who is like] [MET] our fellow soldier [because he serves Christ steadfastly together with us]. I am also [writing this] to the congregation [that meets/gathers] in your [(sg)] house.
3 Grace to you (pl) and peace from God our Father and Sovereign Jesus Christ.
[I pray that] God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ [will continue to] act kindly toward you all and [will continue to] cause you to have [inner] peace.
4 I always thank my God as I make mention of you (sg) in my prayers,
I always thank my God when I pray for you [(sg)], because I hear [people say that] you love all God’s people [CHI]
5 hearing of your love and faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus, and for all the saints,
and that you continue to trust in the Lord Jesus.
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;
I pray that as a result of your knowing all the good things [that God/Christ has done for] us, you may (be effective/influence many others) as you tell others what you believe, in order that [they may honor] Christ.
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.
I have rejoiced greatly and have been greatly encouraged because you, my dear friend, have acted lovingly toward God’s people by encouraging them [SYN].
8 Now then, though I have all boldness in Christ to order you (sg) to do what is right,
So [I have a request/favor to ask of you]. I am completely confident [that I have authority] to command you [to do] what you ought to do, because [I am an apostle of] Christ.
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.
But because [I know that you] love [God’s people], I request this instead of [commanding you to do it]. It is I, Paul, an old man and now also a prisoner [because I serve] Christ Jesus, [who am requesting it].
10 I appeal to you on behalf of the son whom I begot while in my chains, Onesimus, whom I am sending back
I request that you [do something] for someone [who has become like] my own son [because I told him about Christ] [MET] while [I have been] a prisoner [MTY] [here. His name is] Onesimus.
11 —formerly he was unprofitable to you, but now he is profitable, both to you and to me.
Although [his name, as you know, means ‘useful’], formerly he was useless to you. But now he is useful both to you and to me!
12 So receive him, who is my very heart
Although (he is [as dear to me as/I love him as much as I love]) [MET] my own self [MTY], I am sending him back to you.
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,
I would like to have kept him with me, in order that he might serve me on your behalf, while I am a prisoner [MTY] [because of my preaching] the message [about Christ].
14 but I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that your contribution might be voluntary, not as an imposition.
Nevertheless, because [I had not yet asked you and] you had not yet permitted me [to keep him here with me], I decided not to [keep him here. I decided that I should] not do anything without your permitting it. [I decided that you should help me only if you] really want to help me.
15 Perhaps this is why he was removed for a while, so that you would have him forever (aiōnios )
Perhaps the reason that [God permitted] Onesimus to be separated from {to leave} you for a little while was that [he would believe in Christ, and as a result] you would have him (back/with you) forever! (aiōnios )
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.
[You will no longer have him only] as a slave. Instead, [you will have him] as [someone who is] more than a slave. [You will have him] as a fellow believer! He is especially dear to me, but he certainly will be more dear to you [than he is to me] (OR, I love him very much, but you will certainly love him more than I do), [because now he] not only belongs to you but he also belongs to the Lord.
17 So if you consider me a partner, receive him as if it were me.
So, if you consider me to be your partner [in God’s work], receive him as you would receive me.
18 If he wronged you or owes anything, charge it to me.
If he has wronged you in any manner or if he owes you anything, (charge that to me/tell me so that I can pay you).
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, am now writing this in my own handwriting: I will repay you what he owes you, although I might mention to you that you owe me even more than Onesimus may owe you, because it was the result of my telling you about Christ that God saved you.
20 Yes brother, let me have this benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in the Lord.
(Yes/I say it again), my dear friend, because you and I both have a relationship with the Lord, I want you to do this for me. Encourage me [SYN] [by receiving Onesimus kindly, just like you encourage others who believe] in Christ.
21 Being confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you (sg) will do even more than I say.
I have written [this letter] to you, confident that you will do what I am requesting you to [do]. [In fact], I know that you will do even more than what I am requesting [you to do].
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).
Also, keep a guest room ready for me [to stay in], because I confidently expect that as a result of your prayers [for me, I] will be released [from prison and will come] to you all.
23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner for Christ Jesus, greets you (sg),
Epaphras, who is [suffering] with me in prison because of [his serving] Christ Jesus, (sends his greetings to you/wants you to know that he is thinking fondly about you).
24 as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke, my fellow workers.
Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, who are my [other] fellow workers, also (send their greetings to you/want you to know that they are thinking fondly about you).
25 The grace of our Lord Jesus be with your (pl) spirit. Amen.
[I pray that] the Lord Jesus Christ [will] ([continue to] work kindly in all your lives/kindly keep accomplishing what he desires within you).