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.

These things speak thou, and exhort, and inculcate, with all authority; and let no one despise thee.

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 our beloved Apphia, and to Archippus a laborer with us, and to the church in 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 with you, and peace from God our father, and from our Lord Jesus the Messiah.

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, and remember thee in my prayers,

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

lo, from the time that I heard of thy faith, and of the love thou hast towards our Lord Jesus, and towards 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 a fellowship of thy faith, yielding fruits in works, and in the knowledge of all the good things ye possess in Jesus the Messiah.

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, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thy love.

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.

Therefore I might have great freedom In the Messiah, to enjoin upon thee the things that are right.

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].

But for love's sake, I earnestly beseech thee even I, Paul, who am aged, as thou knowest, and now also a prisoner for Jesus the Messiah.

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 beseech thee for my son, whom I had begotten in my bonds for 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!

from whom formerly thou hadst no profit, but now very profitable will he be both to thee and to me; and whom I have sent to thee.

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.

And receive thou him, as one begotten by me.

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].

For I was desirous to retain him with me, that he might minister to me in thy stead, in these 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 I would do nothing without consulting thee; lest thy benefit should be as if by compulsion, and not with thy pleasure.

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)

And, perhaps, also, he therefore departed from thee for a season, that thou mightest retain 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.

henceforth, not as a servant, but more than a servant, a brother dear to me, and much more to thee, both in the flesh and in our 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 art in fellowship with me, receive him as one of mine.

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).

And if he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee aught, place it 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 written it with my own hand, I will repay: not to say to thee, that to me thou owest thy ownself.

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.

Yes, my brother, let me be refreshed by thee in our Lord: refresh thou my bowels in the Messiah.

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].

Being confident that thou wilt hearken to me, I have written to thee: and I know 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.

And herewith, prepare also a house for me to lodge in; for I hope that, by your prayers, I shall be given to 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).

Epaphras, a fellow-captive with me in Jesus the Messiah, saluteth thee;

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).

and Mark, and Aristarchus, and Demas, and Luke, my coadjutors.

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 the Messiah be with your spirit, my brethren. Amen.