Philemon 1
1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timotheus the brother, to Philemon our beloved and fellow-worker,
Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother: To Philemon our dearly-loved fellow labourer--
2 and Apphia the beloved, and Archippus our fellow-soldier, and the assembly in thy house:
and to our sister Apphia and our comrade Archippus--as well as to the Church in your house.
3 Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ!
May grace be granted to you all, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
4 I give thanks to my God, always making mention of thee in my prayers,
I give continual thanks to my God while making mention of you, my brother, in my prayers,
5 hearing of thy love and faith that thou hast unto the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints,
because I hear of your love and of the faith which you have towards the Lord Jesus and which you manifest towards all God's people;
6 that the fellowship of thy faith may become working in the full knowledge of every good thing that [is] in you toward Christ Jesus;
praying as I do, that their participation in your faith may result in others fully recognizing all the right affection that is in us toward Christ.
7 for we have much joy and comfort in thy love, because the bowels of the saints have been refreshed through thee, brother.
For I have found great joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of God's people have been, and are, refreshed through you, my brother.
8 Wherefore, having in Christ much boldness to command thee that which is fit —
Therefore, though I might with Christ's authority speak very freely and order you to do what is fitting,
9 because of the love I rather entreat, being such an one as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ;
it is for love's sake that--instead of that--although I am none other than Paul the aged, and am now also a prisoner for Christ Jesus,
10 I entreat thee concerning my child — whom I did beget in my bonds — Onesimus,
I entreat you on behalf of my own child whose father I have become while in my chains--I mean Onesimus.
11 who once was to thee unprofitable, and now is profitable to me and to thee,
Formerly he was useless to you, but now--true to his name--he is of great use to you and to me.
12 whom I did send again, and thou him (that is, my own bowels) receive,
I am sending him back to you, though in so doing I send part of myself.
13 whom I did wish to retain to myself, that in thy behalf he might minister to me in the bonds of the good news,
It was my wish to keep him at my side for him to attend to my wants, as your representative, during my imprisonment for the Good News.
14 and apart from thy mind I willed to do nothing, that as of necessity thy good deed may not be, but of willingness,
Only I wished to do nothing without your consent, so that his kind action of yours might not be done under pressure, but might be a voluntary one.
15 for perhaps because of this he did depart for an hour, that age-duringly thou mayest have him, (aiōnios g166)
For perhaps it was for this reason he was parted from you for a time, that you might receive him back wholly and for ever yours; (aiōnios g166)
16 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!
no longer as a slave, but as something better than a slave--a brother peculiarly dear to me, and even dearer to you, both as a servant and as a fellow Christian.
17 If, then, with me thou hast fellowship, receive him as me,
If therefore you regard me as a comrade, receive him as if he were I myself.
18 and if he did hurt to thee, or doth owe anything, this to me be reckoning;
And if he was ever dishonest or is in your debt, debit me with the amount.
19 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.
I Paul write this with my own hand--I will pay you in full. (I say nothing of the fact that you owe me even your own self.)
20 Yes, brother, may I have profit of thee in the Lord; refresh my bowels in the Lord;
Yes, brother, do me this favour for the Lord's sake. Refresh my heart in Christ.
21 having been confident in thy obedience I did write to thee, having known that also above what I may say thou wilt do;
I write to you in the full confidence that you will meet my wishes, for I know you will do even more than I say.
22 and at the same time also prepare for me a lodging, for I hope that through your prayers I shall be granted to you.
And at the same time provide accommodation for me; for I hope that through your prayers I shall be permitted to come to you.
23 Salute thee doth Epaphras, (my fellow-captive in Christ Jesus, )
Greetings to you, my brother, from Epaphras my fellow prisoner for the sake of Christ Jesus;
24 Markus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lukas, my fellow-workmen!
and from Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.
25 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ [is] with your spirit! Amen.
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with the spirit of every one of you.
