Philemon 1
1 To my beloved friend and coworker Philemon,
Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon, our dear helper in the faith,
2 to my sister Apphia, to my fellow soldier Archippus, and to the church which meets at Philemon’s house. From Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and brother Timothy.
And to Apphia, our sister, and to Archippus, our brother in God's army, and to the church in your house:
3 Grace and peace be to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
4 I am ever mentioning you in my prayers, and giving thanks to God,
I give praise to God at all times and make prayer for you,
5 because I am hearing of your love and of the faith which you hold, not only toward the Lord Jesus Christ, but toward all the saints.
Hearing of the love and the faith which you have to the Lord Jesus and to all the saints;
6 And I pray that your participation may become effectual, as you come to acknowledge every good thing which is in you to Christ.
That the faith which you have in common with them may be working with power, in the knowledge of every good thing in you, for Christ.
7 For I have great joy and comfort in your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed.
For I had great joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been made strong again through you, brother.
8 And so, although I might be bold in Christ to dictate to you what is fitting,
And so, though I might, in the name of Christ, give you orders to do what is right,
9 yet for love’s sake, I rather beseech you, I, Paul, an old man, and now a prisoner for Christ Jesus!
Still, because of love, in place of an order, I make a request to you, I, Paul, an old man and now a prisoner of Christ Jesus:
10 I beseech you for my son, Onesimus, whom I have begotten in these chains.
My request is for my child Onesimus, the child of my chains,
11 Once you found him "unprofitable," but now he is "profitable" to you and to me.
Who in the past was of no profit to you, but now is of profit to you and to me:
12 I am sending him back to you, he himself, that is, my very heart!
Whom I have sent back to you, him who is my very heart:
13 I could wish to retain him at my side, so that he might minister to me in your stead, in my bonds for the gospel.
Though my desire was to keep him with me, to be my servant in the chains of the good news, in your place:
14 But without your consent I was unwilling to do anything, so that your kindness to me might be of your own free will, and not of compulsion.
But without your approval I would do nothing; so that your good works might not be forced, but done freely from your heart.
15 Perhaps for this reason you were separated from him for an hour, in order that you might have him back forever, (aiōnios g166)
For it is possible that for this reason he was parted from you for a time, so that you might have him for ever; (aiōnios g166)
16 no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, as a brother beloved; especially dear to me, but how much more to you, both as a man and a fellow Christian.
No longer as a servant, but more than a servant, a brother, very dear to me specially, but much more to you, in the flesh as well as in the Lord.
17 If then you count me as a partner, receive him as you would me.
If then you take me to be your friend and brother, take him in as myself.
18 And if he has wronged you at all, or is owing you anything, charge that to me.
If he has done you any wrong or is in debt to you for anything, put it to my account.
19 I Paul am writing this in my own handwriting, "I will repay you." But I will not mention that you owe me, over and over, your very soul.
I, Paul, writing this myself, say, I will make payment to you: and I do not say to you that you are in debt to me even for your life.
20 Come my brother, let me have joy in the Lord because of you! Refresh my heart in Christ!
So brother, let me have joy of you in the Lord: give new life to my heart in Christ.
21 Because I am thoroughly persuaded of your obedience, I have written you, knowing full well that you will do by me what I am asking.
Being certain that you will do my desire, I am writing to you, in the knowledge that you will do even more than I say.
22 Please also prepare for me a lodging, for I am hoping by your prayers to be restored to you again.
And make a room ready for me; for I am hoping that through your prayers I will be given to you.
23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you greeting;
Epaphras, my brother-prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you his love;
24 so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.
And so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my brother-workers.
25 May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. So be it.
