Philemon 1
1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and the brother Timothy to Philemon, our dear friend and fellow worker,
Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon our beloved and fellow-worker,
2 and to Apphia our sister, and to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church that meets in your home.
and to Apphia our sister, and to Archippus our fellow-soldier, and to the church in thy house:
3 May grace be to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
4 I always thank my God. I mention you in my prayers.
I thank my God always, making mention of thee in my prayers,
5 I have heard of the love and the faith that you have in the Lord Jesus and for all the believers.
hearing of thy love, and of the faith which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all the saints;
6 I pray that the fellowship of your faith may be effective for the knowledge of everything good that is among us in Christ.
that the fellowship of thy faith may become effectual, in the knowledge of every good thing which is in you, unto Christ.
7 For I have had much joy and comfort because of your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother.
For I had much joy and comfort in thy love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through thee, brother.
8 Therefore, although I have all the boldness in Christ to command you to do what you should do,
Wherefore, though I have all boldness in Christ to enjoin thee that which is befitting,
9 yet because of love, I appeal to you instead—I, Paul, an old man, and now a prisoner for Christ Jesus.
yet for love’s sake I rather beseech, being such a one as Paul the aged, and now a prisoner also of Christ Jesus:
10 I am asking you concerning my child Onesimus, whom I have fathered in my chains.
I beseech thee for my child, whom I have begotten in my bonds, Onesimus,
11 For he once was useless to you, but now he is useful both to you and to me.
who once was unprofitable to thee, but now is profitable to thee and to me:
12 I have sent him back to you, he who is my very heart.
whom I have sent back to thee in his own person, that is, my very heart:
13 I wish I could have kept him with me, so he could serve me for you, while I am in chains for the sake of the gospel.
whom I would fain have kept with me, that in thy behalf he might minister unto me in the bonds of the gospel:
14 But I did not want to do anything without your consent. I did not want your good deed to be from necessity but from good will.
but without thy mind I would do nothing; that thy goodness should not be as of necessity, but of free will.
15 Perhaps for this he was separated from you for a time, so that you might have him back forever. (aiōnios g166)
For perhaps he was therefore parted [from thee] for a season, that thou shouldest have him for ever; (aiōnios g166)
16 No longer would he be a slave, but better than a slave, a beloved brother. He is beloved especially to me, and much more so to you, in both the flesh and in the Lord.
no longer as a servant, but more than a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much rather to thee, both in the flesh and in the Lord.
17 So if you have me as a partner, receive him as me.
If then thou countest me a partner, receive him as myself.
18 If he has wronged you or owes you anything, charge that to me.
But if he hath wronged thee at all, or oweth [thee] aught, put that to mine account;
19 I, Paul, write this with my own hand. I myself will pay it back—not to mention that you owe me your own self!
I Paul write it with mine own hand, I will repay it: that I say not unto thee that thou owest to me even thine own self besides.
20 Yes, brother, do me a favor in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ.
Yea, brother, let me have joy of thee in the Lord: refresh my heart in Christ.
21 Confident about your obedience, I am writing to you. I know that you will do even more than I ask.
Having confidence in thine obedience I write unto thee, knowing that thou wilt do even beyond what I say.
22 At the same time, prepare a guest room for me, for I hope that through your prayers I will be given back to you.
But withal prepare me also a lodging: for I hope that through your prayers I shall be granted unto you.
23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you.
Epaphras, my fellow-prisoner in Christ Jesus, saluteth thee;
24 So do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.
[and so do] Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow-workers.
25 May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
