Philemon 1
1 From Paul, now a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and from Timothy, a fellow follower of the Lord.
Paul a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy a brother, to Philemon our beloved brother and fellow-laborer, and to the beloved Apphia,
2 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;
and to Archippus our fellow-soldier, and to the church in thine house,
3 may God, our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ bless you and give you peace.
grace and peace be to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
4 I always mention you in my prayers and thank God for you,
I thank my God always making mention of thee in my prayers,
5 because I hear of the love and the faith which you show, not only to the Lord Jesus, but also to all his people;
(hearing of the faith which thou hast towards the Lord Jesus, and of thy love to all the saints, )
6 and I pray that your participation in the faith may result in action, as you come to a fuller realisation of everything that is good and Christlike in us.
that the communication of thy faith may become effectual in the acknowledgement of all the good that is in you towards Christ Jesus:
7 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.
for we have much joy and comfort in thy love, because by thee, dear brother, the bowels of the saints are refreshed.
8 And so, though my union with Christ enables me, with all confidence, to dictate the course that you should adopt,
Wherefore though I have sufficient authority in Christ to enjoin thee what is meet,
9 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.
I would rather intreat thee out of love to me, being such a one as Paul the aged, and now a prisoner too for the sake of Jesus Christ.
10 I plead with you for this child of mine, Onesimus, to whom, in my prison, I have become a father.
I intreat thee then for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds,
11 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;
who was formerly unprofitable to thee, but now profitable both to thee and to me; whom I have sent back to thee:
12 and I am sending him back to you with this letter – though it is like tearing out of my heart.
him therefore, as my own bowels, do thou receive.
13 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.
Whom I would gladly have kept with me, that he might have ministered unto me as thou wouldst have done, in the bonds of the gospel.
14 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.
But I would do nothing without thy knowledge, that thy kindness might not be as it were forced, but voluntary.
15 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)
For perhaps he was therefore parted from thee for a season, that thou mightest receive him for ever: (aiōnios g166)
16 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!
not now as a servant, but above a servant, a dear brother, especially to me, and how much more to thee both in the flesh and in the Lord.
17 If, then, you count me your friend, receive him as you would me.
If therefore thou accountest me a friend, receive him as thou wouldst receive me.
18 If he has caused you any loss, or owes you anything, charge it to me.
If he hath wronged thee in any thing, or is indebted to thee, place it to my accompt:
19 I, Paul, put my own hand to it – I will repay you myself. I say nothing about your owing me your self.
I Paul have written it with my own hand, I will pay it: not to say that thou indeed owest even thy own self to me.
20 Yes, friend, let me gain something from you because of your union with the Lord. Cheer my heart by your Christlike spirit.
Yea, my brother, let me enjoy this satisfaction from thee in the Lord: and thus refresh my bowels in the Lord.
21 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.
Being fully persuaded of thy compliance, I have written to thee; knowing that thou wilt indeed do more than I ask.
22 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.
But I must add, prepare me also a lodging; for I hope that through your prayers I shall be restored to you.
23 Epaphras, who is my fellow prisoner for Christ Jesus, sends you his greeting;
Epaphras my fellow-prisoner in Christ Jesus, and Marcus,
24 and Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers, send theirs.
Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke my fellow-laborers, salute thee.
25 May the blessing of the Lord Jesus Christ rest on your souls.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
