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;
These things speak thou, and exhort, and inculcate, with all authority; and let no one despise thee.
2 to our sister Apphia, to Archippus who fights alongside us, and to your house church.
and to our beloved Apphia, and to Archippus a laborer with us, and to the church in thy house.
3 May you have grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Grace be with you, and peace from God our father, and from our Lord Jesus the Messiah.
4 I always thank my God for you, remembering you in my prayers,
I thank my God always, and remember thee in my prayers,
5 because I hear of your trust in the Lord Jesus and your love for all believers.
lo, from the time that I heard of thy faith, and of the love thou hast towards our Lord Jesus, and towards all the saints;
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.
that there may be a fellowship of thy faith, yielding fruits in works, and in the knowledge of all the good things ye possess in Jesus the Messiah.
7 Your love, my dear brother, has brought me much happiness and encouragement. You have really inspired those of us who believe!
For we have great joy and consolation, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thy love.
8 That's why even though I'm brave enough in Christ to order you to do your duty,
Therefore I might have great freedom In the Messiah, to enjoin upon thee the things that are right.
9 I would rather ask you this favor out of love. Old Paul, now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus,
But for love's sake, I earnestly beseech thee even I, Paul, who am aged, as thou knowest, and now also a prisoner for Jesus the Messiah.
10 is appealing to you on behalf of Onesimus who became my adopted son during my imprisonment.
I beseech thee for my son, whom I had begotten in my bonds for Onesimus;
11 In the past he was of no use to you, but now he's useful to both you and me!
from whom formerly thou hadst no profit, but now very profitable will he be both to thee and to me; and whom I have sent to thee.
12 I send him to you with my fondest wishes.
And receive thou him, as one begotten by me.
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 I was desirous to retain him with me, that he might minister to me in thy stead, in these bonds for the gospel.
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 would do nothing without consulting thee; lest thy benefit should be as if by compulsion, and not with thy pleasure.
And, perhaps, also, he therefore departed from thee for a season, that thou mightest retain him 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.
henceforth, not as a servant, but more than a servant, a brother dear to me, and much more to thee, both in the flesh and in our Lord?
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 therefore thou art in fellowship with me, receive him as one of mine.
18 If he has done you any wrong, or owes you anything, charge it to my account.
And if he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee aught, place it to my account.
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, have written it with my own hand, I will repay: not to say to thee, that to me thou owest thy ownself.
20 Yes, brother, I'm expecting this favor from you in the Lord; please make me happy in Christ.
Yes, my brother, let me be refreshed by thee in our Lord: refresh thou my bowels in the Messiah.
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!
Being confident that thou wilt hearken to me, I have written to thee: and I know that thou wilt do more than I say.
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.
And herewith, prepare also a house for me to lodge in; for I hope that, by your prayers, I shall be given to you.
23 Epaphras who is here in prison with me sends his greetings,
Epaphras, a fellow-captive with me in Jesus the Messiah, saluteth thee;
24 as do my co-workers Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke.
and Mark, and Aristarchus, and Demas, and Luke, my coadjutors.
25 May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all of you.
The grace of our Lord Jesus the Messiah be with your spirit, my brethren. Amen.
