Προς Φιλημονα 1
1 παυλος δεσμιος ιησου χριστου και τιμοθεος ο αδελφος φιλημονι τω αγαπητω και συνεργω ημων
Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother: To Philemon our dearly-loved fellow labourer--
2 και απφια τη αγαπητη και αρχιππω τω συστρατιωτη ημων και τη κατ οικον σου εκκλησια
and to our sister Apphia and our comrade Archippus--as well as to the Church in your house.
3 χαρις υμιν και ειρηνη απο θεου πατρος ημων και κυριου ιησου χριστου
May grace be granted to you all, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
4 ευχαριστω τω θεω μου παντοτε μνειαν σου ποιουμενος επι των προσευχων μου
I give continual thanks to my God while making mention of you, my brother, in my prayers,
5 ακουων σου την αγαπην και την πιστιν ην εχεις προς τον κυριον ιησουν και εις παντας τους αγιους
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 οπως η κοινωνια της πιστεως σου ενεργης γενηται εν επιγνωσει παντος αγαθου του εν υμιν εις χριστον ιησουν
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 χαριν γαρ εχομεν πολλην και παρακλησιν επι τη αγαπη σου οτι τα σπλαγχνα των αγιων αναπεπαυται δια σου αδελφε
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 διο πολλην εν χριστω παρρησιαν εχων επιτασσειν σοι το ανηκον
Therefore, though I might with Christ's authority speak very freely and order you to do what is fitting,
9 δια την αγαπην μαλλον παρακαλω τοιουτος ων ως παυλος πρεσβυτης νυνι δε και δεσμιος ιησου χριστου
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 παρακαλω σε περι του εμου τεκνου ον εγεννησα εν τοις δεσμοις μου ονησιμον
I entreat you on behalf of my own child whose father I have become while in my chains--I mean Onesimus.
11 τον ποτε σοι αχρηστον νυνι δε σοι και εμοι ευχρηστον ον ανεπεμψα
Formerly he was useless to you, but now--true to his name--he is of great use to you and to me.
12 συ δε αυτον τουτ εστιν τα εμα σπλαγχνα προσλαβου
I am sending him back to you, though in so doing I send part of myself.
13 ον εγω εβουλομην προς εμαυτον κατεχειν ινα υπερ σου διακονη μοι εν τοις δεσμοις του ευαγγελιου
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 χωρις δε της σης γνωμης ουδεν ηθελησα ποιησαι ινα μη ως κατα αναγκην το αγαθον σου η αλλα κατα εκουσιον
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.
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 ουκετι ως δουλον αλλ υπερ δουλον αδελφον αγαπητον μαλιστα εμοι ποσω δε μαλλον σοι και εν σαρκι και εν κυριω
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 ει ουν με εχεις κοινωνον προσλαβου αυτον ως εμε
If therefore you regard me as a comrade, receive him as if he were I myself.
18 ει δε τι ηδικησεν σε η οφειλει τουτο εμοι ελλογει
And if he was ever dishonest or is in your debt, debit me with the amount.
19 εγω παυλος εγραψα τη εμη χειρι εγω αποτισω ινα μη λεγω σοι οτι και σεαυτον μοι προσοφειλεις
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 ναι αδελφε εγω σου οναιμην εν κυριω αναπαυσον μου τα σπλαγχνα εν κυριω
Yes, brother, do me this favour for the Lord's sake. Refresh my heart in Christ.
21 πεποιθως τη υπακοη σου εγραψα σοι ειδως οτι και υπερ ο λεγω ποιησεις
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 αμα δε και ετοιμαζε μοι ξενιαν ελπιζω γαρ οτι δια των προσευχων υμων χαρισθησομαι υμιν
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 ασπαζονται σε επαφρας ο συναιχμαλωτος μου εν χριστω ιησου
Greetings to you, my brother, from Epaphras my fellow prisoner for the sake of Christ Jesus;
24 μαρκος αρισταρχος δημας λουκας οι συνεργοι μου
and from Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.
25 η χαρις του κυριου ημων ιησου μετα του πνευματος υμων αμην
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with the spirit of every one of you.
