Philemon 1

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

From Paul, now a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and from Timothy, a fellow follower of the Lord.

2 to the beloved Apphia, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the assembly in your house:

To our dear friend and fellow worker Philemon, to our sister Apphia, to our fellow soldier Archippus; and to the church that meets at Philemon’s house;

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

may God, our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ bless you and give you peace.

4 I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers,

I always mention you in my prayers and thank God for you,

5 hearing of your love and of the faith which you have towards the Lord Jesus and towards all the saints,

because I hear of the love and the faith which you show, not only to the Lord Jesus, but also to all his people;

6 that the fellowship of your faith may become effective in the knowledge of every good thing which is in us in Christ Jesus.

and I pray that your participation in the faith may result in action, as you come to a fuller realisation of everything that is good and Christlike in us.

7 For we have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.

I have indeed found great joy and encouragement in your love, knowing, as I do, how the hearts of Christ’s people have been cheered, friend, by you.

8 Therefore though I have all boldness in Christ to command you that which is appropriate,

And so, though my union with Christ enables me, with all confidence, to dictate the course that you should adopt,

9 yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you, being such a one as Paul, the aged, but also a prisoner of Jesus Christ.

yet the claims of love make me prefer to plead with you – yes, even me, Paul, though I am an ambassador for Christ Jesus and, now a prisoner for him as well.

10 I appeal to you for my child Onesimus, whom I have become the father of in my chains,

I plead with you for this child of mine, Onesimus, to whom, in my prison, I have become a father.

11 who once was useless to you, but now is useful to you and to me.

Once he was of little service to you, but now he has become of great service, not only to you, but to me as well;

12 I am sending him back. Therefore receive him, that is, my own heart,

and I am sending him back to you with this letter – though it is like tearing out of my heart.

13 whom I desired to keep with me, that on your behalf he might serve me in my chains for the Good News.

For my own sake I should like to keep him with me, so that, while I am in prison for the good news, he might attend to my wants on your behalf.

14 But I was willing to do nothing without your consent, that your goodness would not be as of necessity, but of free will.

But I do not wish to do anything without your consent, because I want your generosity to be voluntary and not, as it were, compulsory.

15 For perhaps he was therefore separated from you for a while that you would have him forever, (aiōnios g166)

It may be that he was separated from you for an hour, for this reason, so that you might have him back for ever, (aiōnios g166)

16 no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother—especially to me, but how much rather to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.

no longer as a slave, but as something better – a dearly loved friend and follower of the Lord, especially dear to me, and how much more so to you, not only as a person, but as your fellow Christian!

17 If then you count me a partner, receive him as you would receive me.

If, then, you count me your friend, receive him as you would me.

18 But if he has wronged you at all or owes you anything, put that to my account.

If he has caused you any loss, or owes you anything, charge it to me.

19 I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it (not to mention to you that you owe to me even your own self besides).

I, Paul, put my own hand to it – I will repay you myself. I say nothing about your owing me your self.

20 Yes, brother, let me have joy from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in the Lord.

Yes, friend, let me gain something from you because of your union with the Lord. Cheer my heart by your Christlike spirit.

21 Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even beyond what I say.

Even as I write, I have such confidence in your compliance with my wishes, that I am sure that you will do even more than I am asking.

22 Also, prepare a guest room for me, for I hope that through your prayers I will be restored to you.

Please also get a lodging ready for me, for I hope that I will be given back to you all in answer to your prayers.

23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you,

Epaphras, who is my fellow prisoner for Christ Jesus, sends you his greeting;

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

and Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers, send theirs.

25 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

May the blessing of the Lord Jesus Christ rest on your souls.