Philemon 1

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

To my beloved friend and coworker Philemon,

2 and to the beloved Apphia and our fellow soldier Archippus, and to the congregation at your (sg) 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 (pl) and peace from God our Father and Sovereign Jesus Christ.

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

4 I always thank my God as I make mention of you (sg) in my prayers,

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

5 hearing of your love and faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus, and for 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 so that the sharing of your (sg) faith may become powerful through a full understanding of every good thing that is among you (pl) who are in 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 yes, we have much thanksgiving and encouragement because of your (sg) love, in that the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.

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

8 Now then, though I have all boldness in Christ to order you (sg) to do what is right,

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

9 I—being none other than Paul the old man and now also a prisoner for Jesus Christ—would rather appeal to you, for love's sake.

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

10 I appeal to you on behalf of the son whom I begot while in my chains, Onesimus, whom I am sending back

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

11 —formerly he was unprofitable to you, but now he is profitable, both to you and to me.

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

12 So receive him, who is my very heart

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

13 —I would have liked to keep him with me, so that he might minister to me in your place, while I am in chains 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 I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that your contribution might be voluntary, not as an imposition.

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 this is why he was removed for a while, so that you would have 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 slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother, very much to me but even more to you, both in 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 So if you consider me a partner, receive him as if it were me.

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

18 If he wronged you or owes anything, charge it to me.

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

19 I, Paul, am writing with my own hand, “I will repay” (rather than say to you that you actually owe me your very self!).

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 this benefit from 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 Being confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you (sg) 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 But meanwhile, do prepare a guest room for me, because I hope that through your (pl) prayers I will be graciously bestowed on you (pl).

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 for Christ Jesus, greets you (sg),

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

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

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

25 The grace of our Lord Jesus be with your (pl) spirit. Amen.

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