Philemon 1

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

To my beloved friend and coworker Philemon,

2 and to our beloved Apphia, and to Archippus our fellow-soldier, and to the church that is in your house:

to my sister Apphia, to my fellow soldier Archippus, and to the church which meets at Philemon’s house. From Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and brother Timothy.

3 grace be to you all, and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

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

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

I am ever mentioning you in my prayers, and giving thanks to God,

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

because I am hearing of your love and of the faith which you hold, not only toward the Lord Jesus Christ, but toward all the saints.

6 that your participation in the faith may be active in the acknowledgment of every good thing that is in us, to the honor of Christ Jesus.

And I pray that your participation may become effectual, as you come to acknowledge every good thing which is in you to Christ.

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

For I have great joy and comfort in your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed.

8 Wherefore, though I have great boldness in Christ to command you to do that which is becoming,

And so, although I might be bold in Christ to dictate to you what is fitting,

9 yet, on account of my love, I rather exhort you, being such a one as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner on account of Jesus Christ.

yet for love’s sake, I rather beseech you, I, Paul, an old man, and now a prisoner for Christ Jesus!

10 I beseech you for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds,

I beseech you for my son, Onesimus, whom I have begotten in these chains.

11 who, for some time, has been unprofitable to you, but now is very profitable to you and to me:

Once you found him "unprofitable," but now he is "profitable" to you and to me.

12 I send him back, and do you receive him, that is, my son.

I am sending him back to you, he himself, that is, my very heart!

13 I did wish to keep him with me, that, in your stead, he might serve me in my bonds for the gospel;

I could wish to retain him at my side, so that he might minister to me in your stead, in my bonds for the gospel.

14 but, without your consent, I was not willing to do any thing, that your good deed might not be as a matter of necessity, but one of free-will.

But without your consent I was unwilling to do anything, so that your kindness to me might be of your own free will, and not of compulsion.

15 Perhaps, indeed, lie departed for a short time for this reason, that you might receive him forever; (aiōnios g166)

Perhaps for this reason you were separated from him for an hour, in order that you might have him back forever, (aiōnios g166)

16 no longer as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, especially by me, and how much more by you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.

no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, as a brother beloved; especially dear to me, but how much more to you, both as a man and a fellow Christian.

17 If, then, you regard me as a partner, receive him as myself.

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

18 But if he has done you any wrong, or owes you any thing, put that to my account.

And if he has wronged you at all, or is owing you anything, charge that to me.

19 I, Paul, do write it with my own hand, I will repay it; that I may not say to you, that you owe to me even yourself besides.

I Paul am writing this in my own handwriting, "I will repay you." But I will not mention that you owe me, over and over, your very soul.

20 Yes, brother, let me have joy of you in the Lord: refresh my heart in the Lord.

Come my brother, let me have joy in the Lord because of you! Refresh my heart in Christ!

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

Because I am thoroughly persuaded of your obedience, I have written you, knowing full well that you will do by me what I am asking.

22 At the same time, also, prepare me a lodging: for I hope that through the prayers of you all, I may be given to you.

Please also prepare for me a lodging, for I am hoping by your prayers to be restored to you again.

23 Epaphras, my fellow-prisoner in Christ Jesus, salutes you:

Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you greeting;

24 so also do Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, my fellow-laborers.

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

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

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.