Philemon 1
1 This letter is sent from Paul, prisoner of Jesus Christ, and from our brother Timothy, to Philemon, our good friend and co-worker;
From Paul, now a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and from Timothy, a fellow follower of the Lord.
2 to our sister Apphia, to Archippus who fights alongside us, and to your house church.
To our dear friend and fellow worker Philemon, to our sister Apphia, to our fellow soldier Archippus; and to the church that meets at Philemon’s house;
3 May you have grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
may God, our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ bless you and give you peace.
4 I always thank my God for you, remembering you in my prayers,
I always mention you in my prayers and thank God for you,
5 because I hear of your trust in the Lord Jesus and your love for all believers.
because I hear of the love and the faith which you show, not only to the Lord Jesus, but also to all his people;
6 I pray that you will put the generous nature of your trust in God into action as you recognize all the good things we share in Christ.
and I pray that your participation in the faith may result in action, as you come to a fuller realization of everything that is good and Christlike in us.
7 Your love, my dear brother, has brought me much happiness and encouragement. You have really inspired those of us who believe!
I have indeed found great joy and encouragement in your love, knowing, as I do, how the hearts of Christ’s people have been cheered, friend, by you.
8 That's why even though I'm brave enough in Christ to order you to do your duty,
And so, though my union with Christ enables me, with all confidence, to dictate the course that you should adopt,
9 I would rather ask you this favor out of love. Old Paul, now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus,
yet the claims of love make me prefer to plead with you – yes, even me, Paul, though I am an ambassador for Christ Jesus and, now a prisoner for him as well.
10 is appealing to you on behalf of Onesimus who became my adopted son during my imprisonment.
I plead with you for this child of mine, Onesimus, to whom, in my prison, I have become a father.
11 In the past he was of no use to you, but now he's useful to both you and me!
Once he was of little service to you, but now he has become of great service, not only to you, but to me as well;
12 I send him to you with my fondest wishes.
and I am sending him back to you with this letter – though it is like tearing out of my heart.
13 I'd have preferred to keep him here with me so that he could have helped me as you would have done while I am in chains for telling the good news.
For my own sake I should like to keep him with me, so that, while I am in prison for the good news, he might attend to my wants on your behalf.
14 But I decided not do anything without your permission. I didn't want you to be forced to do good, but to do so willingly.
But I do not wish to do anything without your consent, because I want your generosity to be voluntary and not, as it were, compulsory.
It may be that he was separated from you for an hour, for this reason, so that you might have him back for ever, (aiōnios g166)
16 He's not a servant anymore, because he's more than a servant. He's a specially-loved brother, particularly to me, and even more to you, both as a man and as a fellow-believer in the Lord.
no longer as a slave, but as something better – a dearly loved friend and follower of the Lord, especially dear to me, and how much more so to you, not only as a person, but as your fellow Christian!
17 So if you consider me as a colleague working together with you for the Lord, welcome him as if you were welcoming me.
If, then, you count me your friend, receive him as you would me.
18 If he has done you any wrong, or owes you anything, charge it to my account.
If he has caused you any loss, or owes you anything, charge it to me.
19 I Paul am signing this with my own hand: I will repay you. Of course I won't mention what you owe me, including your very self!
I, Paul, put my own hand to it – I will repay you myself. I say nothing about your owing me your self.
20 Yes, brother, I'm expecting this favor from you in the Lord; please make me happy in Christ.
Yes, friend, let me gain something from you because of your union with the Lord. Cheer my heart by your Christlike spirit.
21 I'm writing about this to you because I'm convinced you'll do as I ask—in fact I know you'll do even more than I've asked!
Even as I write, I have such confidence in your compliance with my wishes, that I am sure that you will do even more than I am asking.
22 In the meantime please have a room ready for me, for I hope to be able to return to see you soon in answer to your prayers.
Please also get a lodging ready for me, for I hope that I will be given back to you all in answer to your prayers.
23 Epaphras who is here in prison with me sends his greetings,
Epaphras, who is my fellow prisoner for Christ Jesus, sends you his greeting;
24 as do my co-workers Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke.
and Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers, send theirs.
25 May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all of you.
May the blessing of the Lord Jesus Christ rest on your souls.
