Philemon 1

1 Paul a prisoner of Iesus Christ, and our brother Timotheus, vnto Philemon our deare friende, and fellowe helper,

Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our beloved fellow worker,

2 And to our deare sister Apphia, and to Archippus our fellowe souldier, and to the Church that is in thine house:

to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church that meets at your house:

3 Grace be with you, and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Iesus Christ.

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

4 I giue thanks to my God, making mention alwaies of thee in my praiers,

I always thank my God, remembering you in my prayers,

5 (When I heare of thy loue and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Iesus, and towarde all Saintes)

because I hear about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints.

6 That the fellowship of thy faith may bee made effectuall, and that whatsoeuer good thing is in you through Christ Iesus, may be knowen.

I pray that your partnership in the faith may become effective as you fully acknowledge every good thing that is ours in Christ.

7 For we haue great ioy and consolation in thy loue, because by thee, brother, the Saintes bowels are comforted.

I take great joy and encouragement in your love, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints.

8 Wherefore, though I bee very bolde in Christ to commaund thee that which is conuenient,

So although in Christ I am bold enough to order you to do what is proper,

9 Yet for loues sake I rather beseeche thee, though I be as I am, euen Paul aged, and euen nowe a prisoner for Iesus Christ.

I prefer to appeal on the basis of love. For I, Paul, am now aged, and a prisoner of Christ Jesus as well.

10 I beseeche thee for my sonne Onesimus, whome I haue begotten in my bondes,

I appeal to you for my child Onesimus, whose father I became while I was in chains.

11 Which in times past was to thee vnprofitable, but nowe profitable both to thee and to me,

Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.

12 Whome I haue sent againe: thou therefore receiue him, that is mine owne bowels,

I am sending back to you him who is my very heart.

13 Whom I woulde haue reteined with mee, that in thy steade he might haue ministred vnto me in the bondes of the Gospel.

I would have liked to keep him with me, so that on your behalf he could minister to me in my chains for the gospel.

14 But without thy minde woulde I doe nothing, that thy benefite should not be as it were of necessitie, but willingly.

But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that your goodness will not be out of compulsion, but by your own free will.

15 It may be that he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receiue him for euer, (aiōnios g166)

For perhaps this is why he was separated from you for a while, so that you might have him back for good— (aiōnios g166)

16 Not now as a seruant, but aboue a seruant, euen as a brother beloued, specially to me: howe much more then vnto thee, both in the flesh and in the Lord?

no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a beloved brother. He is especially beloved to me, but even more so to you, both in person and in the Lord.

17 If therefore thou count our thinges common, receiue him as my selfe.

So if you consider me a partner, receive him as you would receive me.

18 If he hath hurt thee, or oweth thee ought, that put on mine accounts.

But if he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge it to my account.

19 I Paul haue written this with mine owne hande: I will recompense it, albeit I doe not say to thee, that thou owest moreouer vnto me euen thine owne selfe.

I, Paul, write this with my own hand. I will repay it—not to mention that you owe me your very self.

20 Yea, brother, let mee obteine this pleasure of thee in the Lord: comfort my bowels in the Lord.

Yes, brother, let me have some benefit from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ.

21 Trusting in thine obedience, I wrote vnto thee, knowing that thou wilt do eue more then I say.

Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask.

22 Moreouer also prepare mee lodging: for I trust through your prayers I shall be freely giuen vnto you.

In the meantime, prepare a guest room for me, because I hope that through your prayers I will be restored to you.

23 There salute thee Epaphras my felowe prisoner in Christ Iesus,

Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you greetings,

24 Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke, my felowe helpers.

as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.

25 The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with your spirit, Amen. ‘Written from Rome to Philemon, and send by Onesimus a seruant.’

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.