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 Timotheus the brother, to Philemon our beloved and fellow-worker,
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 Apphia the beloved, and Archippus our fellow-soldier, and the assembly 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 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 give thanks to 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 that thou hast unto the Lord Jesus and toward 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 the fellowship of thy faith may become working in the full knowledge of every good thing that [is] in you toward Christ Jesus;
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 much joy and comfort in thy love, because the bowels of the saints have been refreshed through 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, having in Christ much boldness to command thee that which is fit —
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].
because of the love I rather entreat, being such an one as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner of 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 concerning my child — whom I did beget in 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 once was to thee unprofitable, and now is profitable to me and 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.
whom I did send again, and thou him (that is, my own bowels) receive,
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 did wish to retain to myself, that in thy behalf he might minister to me in the bonds of the good news,
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.
and apart from thy mind I willed to do nothing, that as of necessity thy good deed may not be, but of willingness,
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 perhaps because of this he did depart for an hour, that age-duringly thou mayest have him, (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 more as a servant, but above a servant — a brother beloved, especially to me, and how much more to 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, then, with me thou hast fellowship, receive him as me,
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 did hurt to thee, or doth owe anything, this to me be reckoning;
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 did write with my hand, I — I will repay; that I may not say that also thyself, besides, to me thou dost owe.
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, brother, may I have profit of 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 been confident in thy obedience I did write to thee, having known that also above what I may say thou wilt do;
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 at the same time also prepare for me a lodging, for I hope that through your prayers I shall be granted 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).
Salute thee doth Epaphras, (my fellow-captive 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).
Markus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lukas, my fellow-workmen!
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 [is] with your spirit! Amen.
