Philemon 1

1 [I], Paul, am a prisoner [who serves] Christ Jesus. [I am here] with Timothy, our fellow believer. [I am writing this letter] to [you], Philemon, our dear [friend] and fellow worker.

PAUL, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy a brother, to Philemon the beloved, and our fellow-labourer,

2 [I am also writing] to [your wife], Apphia, and to Archippus, [who is like] [MET] our fellow soldier [because he serves Christ steadfastly together with us]. I am also [writing this] to the congregation [that meets/gathers] in your [(sg)] house.

and to Apphia the beloved, and to Archippus our fellow-soldier, and to the church at thy house:

3 [I pray that] God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ [will continue to] act kindly toward you all and [will continue to] cause you to have [inner] peace.

grace be to you, and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

4 I always thank my God when I pray for you [(sg)], because I hear [people say that] you love all God’s people [CHI]

I thank my God always, making mention of thee in my prayers,

5 and that you continue to trust in the Lord Jesus.

hearing of thy love and faith which thou hast towards the Lord Jesus, and unto all the saints;

6 I pray that as a result of your knowing all the good things [that God/Christ has done for] us, you may (be effective/influence many others) as you tell others what you believe, in order that [they may honor] Christ.

that there may be an operative communication of thy faith made known by every good thing, which is in you towards Jesus Christ.

7 I have rejoiced greatly and have been greatly encouraged because you, my dear friend, have acted lovingly toward God’s people by encouraging them [SYN].

For we have great joy and consolation in thy love, because the bowels of the saints have been refreshed by thee, brother.

8 So [I have a request/favor to ask of you]. I am completely confident [that I have authority] to command you [to do] what you ought to do, because [I am an apostle of] Christ.

Wherefore, though I have in Christ great liberty to enjoin thee what is becoming,

9 But because [I know that you] love [God’s people], I request this instead of [commanding you to do it]. It is I, Paul, an old man and now also a prisoner [because I serve] Christ Jesus, [who am requesting it].

I rather for love’s sake entreat, being such as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner for Jesus Christ.

10 I request that you [do something] for someone [who has become like] my own son [because I told him about Christ] [MET] while [I have been] a prisoner [MTY] [here. His name is] Onesimus.

I entreat thee for my son, whom I have begotten during my bonds, Onesimus:

11 Although [his name, as you know, means ‘useful’], formerly he was useless to you. But now he is useful both to you and to me!

who in time past hath been an unprofitable servant to thee, but now very profitable to thee and to me:

12 Although (he is [as dear to me as/I love him as much as I love]) [MET] my own self [MTY], I am sending him back to you.

whom I have sent back; thou therefore receive him, even as my own bowels:

13 I would like to have kept him with me, in order that he might serve me on your behalf, while I am a prisoner [MTY] [because of my preaching] the message [about Christ].

whom I wished to detain about myself, that in thy stead he might have waited upon me during my bonds for the gospel:

14 Nevertheless, because [I had not yet asked you and] you had not yet permitted me [to keep him here with me], I decided not to [keep him here. I decided that I should] not do anything without your permitting it. [I decided that you should help me only if you] really want to help me.

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 Perhaps the reason that [God permitted] Onesimus to be separated from {to leave} you for a little while was that [he would believe in Christ, and as a result] you would have him (back/with you) forever! (aiōnios g166)

For to this end perhaps was he separated from thee for a season, that thou mightest receive him for ever; (aiōnios g166)

16 [You will no longer have him only] as a slave. Instead, [you will have him] as [someone who is] more than a slave. [You will have him] as a fellow believer! He is especially dear to me, but he certainly will be more dear to you [than he is to me] (OR, I love him very much, but you will certainly love him more than I do), [because now he] not only belongs to you but he also belongs to the Lord.

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 So, if you consider me to be your partner [in God’s work], receive him as you would receive me.

If therefore thou holdest me a sharer with thee, receive him as myself.

18 If he has wronged you in any manner or if he owes you anything, (charge that to me/tell me so that I can pay you).

If he hath injured thee or oweth thee ought, put that to my account;

19 I, Paul, am now writing this in my own handwriting: I will repay you what he owes you, although I might mention to you that you owe me even more than Onesimus may owe you, because it was the result of my telling you about Christ that God saved you.

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 (Yes/I say it again), my dear friend, because you and I both have a relationship with the Lord, I want you to do this for me. Encourage me [SYN] [by receiving Onesimus kindly, just like you encourage others who believe] in Christ.

Yea, brother, I wish to have joy in thee in the Lord: refresh my bowels in the Lord.

21 I have written [this letter] to you, confident that you will do what I am requesting you to [do]. [In fact], I know that you will do even more than what I am requesting [you to do].

Having confidence in thy obedience, I have written unto thee, knowing that thou wilt do more than I say.

22 Also, keep a guest room ready for me [to stay in], because I confidently expect that as a result of your prayers [for me, I] will be released [from prison and will come] to you all.

But at the same time prepare me also a lodging: for I hope that through your prayers I shall be given unto you.

23 Epaphras, who is [suffering] with me in prison because of [his serving] Christ Jesus, (sends his greetings to you/wants you to know that he is thinking fondly about you).

There salute thee Epaphras, my fellow-prisoner in Christ Jesus;

24 Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, who are my [other] fellow workers, also (send their greetings to you/want you to know that they are thinking fondly about you).

Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow-labourers.

25 [I pray that] the Lord Jesus Christ [will] ([continue to] work kindly in all your lives/kindly keep accomplishing what he desires within you).

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit. Amen. Written to Philemon from Rome, by Onesimus one of his household.