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.
παυλος δεσμιος ιησου χριστου και τιμοθεος ο αδελφος φιλημονι τω αγαπητω και συνεργω ημων
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.
και απφια τη αγαπητη και αρχιππω τω συστρατιωτη ημων και τη κατ οικον σου εκκλησια
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.
χαρις υμιν και ειρηνη απο θεου πατρος ημων και κυριου ιησου χριστου
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]
ευχαριστω τω θεω μου παντοτε μνειαν σου ποιουμενος επι των προσευχων μου
5 and that you continue to trust in the Lord Jesus.
ακουων σου την αγαπην και την πιστιν ην εχεις προς τον κυριον ιησουν και εις παντας τους αγιους
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.
οπως η κοινωνια της πιστεως σου ενεργης γενηται εν επιγνωσει παντος αγαθου του εν υμιν εις χριστον ιησουν
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].
χαριν γαρ εχομεν πολλην και παρακλησιν επι τη αγαπη σου οτι τα σπλαγχνα των αγιων αναπεπαυται δια σου αδελφε
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.
διο πολλην εν χριστω παρρησιαν εχων επιτασσειν σοι το ανηκον
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].
δια την αγαπην μαλλον παρακαλω τοιουτος ων ως παυλος πρεσβυτης νυνι δε και δεσμιος ιησου χριστου
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.
παρακαλω σε περι του εμου τεκνου ον εγεννησα εν τοις δεσμοις μου ονησιμον
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!
τον ποτε σοι αχρηστον νυνι δε σοι και εμοι ευχρηστον ον ανεπεμψα
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.
συ δε αυτον τουτ εστιν τα εμα σπλαγχνα προσλαβου
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].
ον εγω εβουλομην προς εμαυτον κατεχειν ινα υπερ σου διακονη μοι εν τοις δεσμοις του ευαγγελιου
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.
χωρις δε της σης γνωμης ουδεν ηθελησα ποιησαι ινα μη ως κατα αναγκην το αγαθον σου η αλλα κατα εκουσιον
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)
ταχα γαρ δια τουτο εχωρισθη προς ωραν ινα αιωνιον αυτον απεχης (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.
ουκετι ως δουλον αλλ υπερ δουλον αδελφον αγαπητον μαλιστα εμοι ποσω δε μαλλον σοι και εν σαρκι και εν κυριω
17 So, if you consider me to be your partner [in God’s work], receive him as you would receive me.
ει ουν με εχεις κοινωνον προσλαβου αυτον ως εμε
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).
ει δε τι ηδικησεν σε η οφειλει τουτο εμοι ελλογει
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.
εγω παυλος εγραψα τη εμη χειρι εγω αποτισω ινα μη λεγω σοι οτι και σεαυτον μοι προσοφειλεις
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.
ναι αδελφε εγω σου οναιμην εν κυριω αναπαυσον μου τα σπλαγχνα εν κυριω
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].
πεποιθως τη υπακοη σου εγραψα σοι ειδως οτι και υπερ ο λεγω ποιησεις
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.
αμα δε και ετοιμαζε μοι ξενιαν ελπιζω γαρ οτι δια των προσευχων υμων χαρισθησομαι υμιν
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).
ασπαζονται σε επαφρας ο συναιχμαλωτος μου εν χριστω ιησου
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).
μαρκος αρισταρχος δημας λουκας οι συνεργοι μου
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).
η χαρις του κυριου ημων ιησου μετα του πνευματος υμων αμην
