Philemon 1

1 Poul, the boundun of Crist Jhesu, and Timothe, brother, to Filemon, bilouyd, and oure helpere, and to Appia,

Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our beloved fellow worker,

2 most dere sister, and to Archip, oure euene kniyt, and to the chirche that is in thin hous,

to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church that meets at your house:

3 grace be to you, and pees of God oure fader, and of the Lord Jhesu Crist.

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

4 I do thankingis to my God, euere more makinge mynde of thee in my preieris,

I always thank my God, remembering you in my prayers,

5 heringe thi charite and feith, that thou hast in the Lord Jhesu, and to alle hooli men,

because I hear about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints.

6 that the comynyng of thi feith be maad opyn, in knowing of al good thing in Crist Jhesu.

I pray that your partnership in the faith may become effective as you fully acknowledge every good thing that is ours in Christ.

7 And Y hadde greet ioye and coumfort in thi charite, for the entrailis of hooli men restiden bi thee, brother.

I take great joy and encouragement in your love, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints.

8 For which thing Y hauynge myche trist in Crist Jhesu, to comaunde to thee that that perteyneth to profit;

So although in Christ I am bold enough to order you to do what is proper,

9 but Y biseche more for charite, sithen thou art siche as the elde Poul, and now the boundun of Jhesu Crist.

I prefer to appeal on the basis of love. For I, Paul, am now aged, and a prisoner of Christ Jesus as well.

10 Y biseche thee for my sone Onesyme, whom Y in boondis bigat,

I appeal to you for my child Onesimus, whose father I became while I was in chains.

11 which sumtyme was vnprofitable to thee, but now profitable bothe to thee and to me; whom Y sente ayen to thee.

Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.

12 And resseyue thou hym as myn entrailis;

I am sending back to you him who is my very heart.

13 whom Y wolde withholde with me, that he schulde serue for thee to me in boondis of the gospel;

I would have liked to keep him with me, so that on your behalf he could minister to me in my chains for the gospel.

14 but with out thi counseil Y wolde not do ony thing, that thi good schulde not be as of nede, but wilful.

But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that your goodness will not be out of compulsion, but by your own free will.

15 For perauenture therfor he departide fro thee for a tyme, that thou schuldist resseyue hym with outen ende; (aiōnios g166)

For perhaps this is why he was separated from you for a while, so that you might have him back for good— (aiōnios g166)

16 now not as a seruaunt, but for a seruaunt a most dere brother, most to me; and how myche more to thee, bothe in fleisch and in the Lord?

no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a beloved brother. He is especially beloved to me, but even more so to you, both in person and in the Lord.

17 Therfor if thou hast me a felowe, resseyue hym as me; for if he hath ony thing anoied thee,

So if you consider me a partner, receive him as you would receive me.

18 ethir owith, arette thou this thing to me.

But if he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge it to my account.

19 Y Poul wroot with myn hoond, Y schal yelde; that Y seie not to thee, that also thou owist to me thi silf.

I, Paul, write this with my own hand. I will repay it—not to mention that you owe me your very self.

20 So, brothir, Y schal vse thee in the Lord; fille thou myn entrails in Crist.

Yes, brother, let me have some benefit from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ.

21 Y tristnynge of thin obedience wroot to thee, witynge that thou schalt do ouer that that Y seie.

Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask.

22 Also make thou redi to me an hous to dwelle in; for Y hope that bi youre preyeris Y schal be youun to you.

In the meantime, prepare a guest room for me, because I hope that through your prayers I will be restored to you.

23 Epafras, prisoner with me in Crist Jhesu,

Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you greetings,

24 greetith thee wel, and Mark, Aristark, Demas, Lucas, myn helperis.

as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.

25 The grace of oure Lord Jhesu Crist be with youre spirit. Amen.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.