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1 παυλοσ δεσμιοσ χριστου ιησου και τιμοθεοσ ο αδελφοσ φιλημονι τω αγαπητω και συνεργω ημων
[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.
2 και απφια τη αγαπητη και αρχιππω τω συστρατιωτη ημων και τη κατ οικον σου εκκλησια
[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.
3 χαρισ υμιν και ειρηνη απο θεου πατροσ ημων και κυριου ιησου χριστου
[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.
4 ευχαριστω τω θεω μου παντοτε μνειαν σου ποιουμενοσ επι των προσευχων μου
I always thank my God when I pray for you [(sg)], because I hear [people say that] you love all God’s people [CHI]
5 ακουων σου την αγαπην και την πιστιν ην εχεισ προσ τον κυριον ιησουν και εισ παντασ τουσ αγιουσ
and that you continue to trust in the Lord Jesus.
6 οπωσ η κοινωνια τησ πιστεωσ σου ενεργησ γενηται εν επιγνωσει παντοσ αγαθου του εν ημιν εισ χριστον ιησουν
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.
7 χαριν γαρ εχομεν πολλην και παρακλησιν επι τη αγαπη σου οτι τα σπλαγχνα των αγιων αναπεπαυται δια σου αδελφε
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].
8 διο πολλην εν χριστω παρρησιαν εχων επιτασσειν σοι το ανηκον
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.
9 δια την αγαπην μαλλον παρακαλω τοιουτοσ ων ωσ παυλοσ πρεσβυτησ νυνι δε και δεσμιοσ ιησου χριστου
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].
10 παρακαλω σε περι του εμου τεκνου ον εγεννησα εν τοισ δεσμοισ μου ονησιμον
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.
11 τον ποτε σοι αχρηστον νυνι δε σοι και εμοι ευχρηστον ον ανεπεμψα
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!
12 συ δε αυτον τουτ εστιν τα εμα σπλαγχνα προσλαβου
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.
13 ον εγω εβουλομην προσ εμαυτον κατεχειν ινα υπερ σου διακονη μοι εν τοισ δεσμοισ του ευαγγελιου
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].
14 χωρισ δε τησ σησ γνωμησ ουδεν ηθελησα ποιησαι ινα μη ωσ κατα αναγκην το αγαθον σου η αλλα κατα εκουσιον
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.
15 ταχα γαρ δια τουτο εχωρισθη προσ ωραν ινα αιωνιον αυτον απεχησ (aiōnios g166)
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)
16 ουκετι ωσ δουλον αλλ υπερ δουλον αδελφον αγαπητον μαλιστα εμοι ποσω δε μαλλον σοι και εν σαρκι και εν κυριω
[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.
17 ει ουν με εχεισ κοινωνον προσλαβου αυτον ωσ εμε
So, if you consider me to be your partner [in God’s work], receive him as you would receive me.
18 ει δε τι ηδικησεν σε η οφειλει τουτο εμοι ελλογει
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).
19 εγω παυλοσ εγραψα τη εμη χειρι εγω αποτισω ινα μη λεγω σοι οτι και σεαυτον μοι προσοφειλεισ
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.
20 ναι αδελφε εγω σου οναιμην εν κυριω αναπαυσον μου τα σπλαγχνα εν κυριω
(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.
21 πεποιθωσ τη υπακοη σου εγραψα σοι ειδωσ οτι και υπερ ο λεγω ποιησεισ
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].
22 αμα δε και ετοιμαζε μοι ξενιαν ελπιζω γαρ οτι δια των προσευχων υμων χαρισθησομαι υμιν
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.
23 ασπαζονται σε επαφρασ ο συναιχμαλωτοσ μου εν χριστω ιησου
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).
24 μαρκοσ αρισταρχοσ δημασ λουκασ οι συνεργοι μου
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).
25 η χαρισ του κυριου ημων ιησου χριστου μετα του πνευματοσ υμων αμην
[I pray that] the Lord Jesus Christ [will] ([continue to] work kindly in all your lives/kindly keep accomplishing what he desires within you).

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