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 Iesus Christ, and our brother Timotheus, vnto Philemon our deare friende, and fellowe helper,

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 deare sister Apphia, and to Archippus our fellowe souldier, and to the Church that is in thine 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 the Lord Iesus 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 giue thanks to my God, making mention alwaies of thee in my praiers,

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

(When I heare of thy loue and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Iesus, and towarde all Saintes)

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 bee made effectuall, and that whatsoeuer good thing is in you through Christ Iesus, may be knowen.

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 haue great ioy and consolation in thy loue, because by thee, brother, the Saintes bowels are comforted.

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 bee very bolde in Christ to commaund thee that which is conuenient,

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].

Yet for loues sake I rather beseeche thee, though I be as I am, euen Paul aged, and euen nowe a prisoner for Iesus 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 beseeche thee for my sonne Onesimus, whome I haue begotten in my bondes,

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!

Which in times past was to thee vnprofitable, but nowe profitable both 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.

Whome I haue sent againe: thou therefore receiue him, that is mine owne 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 woulde haue reteined with mee, that in thy steade he might haue ministred vnto me in the bondes of 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 minde woulde I doe nothing, that thy benefite should not be as it were of necessitie, but willingly.

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)

It may be that he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receiue him for euer, (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.

Not now as a seruant, but aboue a seruant, euen as a brother beloued, specially to me: howe much more then vnto 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 count our thinges common, receiue him as my selfe.

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 hurt thee, or oweth thee ought, that put on mine accounts.

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 haue written this with mine owne hande: I will recompense it, albeit I doe not say to thee, that thou owest moreouer vnto me euen thine owne selfe.

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, let mee obteine this pleasure of thee in the Lord: comfort 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].

Trusting in thine obedience, I wrote vnto thee, knowing that thou wilt do eue more then 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.

Moreouer also prepare mee lodging: for I trust through your prayers I shall be freely giuen vnto 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 felowe prisoner in Christ Iesus,

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).

Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke, my felowe helpers.

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 Iesus Christ be with your spirit, Amen. ‘Written from Rome to Philemon, and send by Onesimus a seruant.’