Philemon 1

1 Paul, prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timotheus the brother, to Philemon the beloved and our fellow-workman,

To my beloved friend and coworker Philemon,

2 and to the sister Apphia and to Archippus our fellow-soldier, and to the assembly which [is] in thine 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 to you 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, always making mention of thee at my prayers,

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

5 hearing of thy love and the faith which thou hast towards the Lord Jesus, and towards 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 in such sort that thy participation in the faith should become operative in the acknowledgment of every good thing which is in us towards 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 thankfulness and encouragement through thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother.

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

8 Wherefore having much boldness in Christ to enjoin thee what is fitting,

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

9 for love's sake I rather exhort, being such a one as Paul the aged, and now also prisoner 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 exhort thee for my child, whom I have begotten in [my] bonds, Onesimus,

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

11 once unserviceable to thee, but now serviceable to thee and to me:

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

12 whom I have sent back to thee: [but do thou receive] him, that is, my bowels:

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

13 whom I was desirous of keeping with myself, that for thee he might minister to me in the bonds of the glad tidings;

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 I have wished to do nothing without thy mind, that thy good might not be as of necessity but of willingness:

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 for perhaps for this reason he has been separated [from thee] for a time, that thou mightest possess him fully for ever; (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 not any longer as a bondman, but above a bondman, a beloved brother, specially to me, and how much rather to thee, 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 therefore thou holdest me to be a partner [with thee], receive him as me;

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

18 but if he have wronged thee anything or owe anything [to thee], put this to my account.

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

19 I Paul have written [it] with mine own hand; I will repay [it]: that I say not to thee that thou owest even thine own self also to me.

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 Yea, brother, I would have profit of thee in [the] Lord: refresh my bowels in Christ.

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

21 Being confident of thine obedience, I have written to thee, knowing that thou wilt 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 But withal prepare me also a lodging; for I hope that I shall be granted to you through your prayers.

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

23 Epaphras salutes thee, my fellow-prisoner in Christ Jesus;

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

24 Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow-workmen.

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

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

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