< Philemon 1 >
1 PAUL, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy a brother, to Philemon the beloved, and our fellow-labourer,
2 and to Apphia the beloved, and to Archippus our fellow-soldier, and to the church at thy house:
3 grace be to you, and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.
4 I thank my God always, making mention of thee in my prayers,
5 hearing of thy love and faith which thou hast towards the Lord Jesus, and unto all the saints;
6 that there may be an operative communication of thy faith made known by every good thing, which is in you towards Jesus Christ.
7 For we have great joy and consolation in thy love, because the bowels of the saints have been refreshed by thee, brother.
8 Wherefore, though I have in Christ great liberty to enjoin thee what is becoming,
9 I rather for love’s sake entreat, being such as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner for Jesus Christ.
10 I entreat thee for my son, whom I have begotten during my bonds, Onesimus:
11 who in time past hath been an unprofitable servant to thee, but now very profitable to thee and to me:
12 whom I have sent back; thou therefore receive him, even as my own bowels:
13 whom I wished to detain about myself, that in thy stead he might have waited upon me during my bonds for the gospel:
14 but without thy consent would I do nothing; that this good deed of thine might not be as of necessity, but from thy own choice.
15 For to this end perhaps was he separated from thee for a season, that thou mightest receive him for ever; (aiōnios )
16 no longer as a slave, but above a slave, as a brother beloved, especially by me, but how much more by thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord?
17 If therefore thou holdest me a sharer with thee, receive him as myself.
18 If he hath injured thee or oweth thee ought, put that to my account;
19 I Paul have given it under my own hand, I will repay it, not to say to thee, that thou owest even thine own self unto me.
20 Yea, brother, I wish to have joy in thee in the Lord: refresh my bowels in the Lord.
21 Having confidence in thy obedience, I have written unto thee, knowing that thou wilt do more than I say.
22 But at the same time prepare me also a lodging: for I hope that through your prayers I shall be given unto you.
23 There salute thee Epaphras, my fellow-prisoner in Christ Jesus;
24 Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow-labourers.
25 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit. Amen. Written to Philemon from Rome, by Onesimus one of his household.
