Philemon 1
1 This letter is sent from Paul, prisoner of Jesus Christ, and from our brother Timothy, to Philemon, our good friend and co-worker;
Paul, prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timotheus the brother, to Philemon the beloved and our fellow-workman,
2 to our sister Apphia, to Archippus who fights alongside us, and to your house church.
and to the sister Apphia and to Archippus our fellow-soldier, and to the assembly which [is] in thine house.
3 May you have grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and [the] Lord Jesus Christ.
4 I always thank my God for you, remembering you in my prayers,
I thank my God, always making mention of thee at my prayers,
5 because I hear of your trust in the Lord Jesus and your love for all believers.
hearing of thy love and the faith which thou hast towards the Lord Jesus, and towards all the saints,
6 I pray that you will put the generous nature of your trust in God into action as you recognize all the good things we share in Christ.
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].
7 Your love, my dear brother, has brought me much happiness and encouragement. You have really inspired those of us who believe!
For we have great thankfulness and encouragement through thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother.
8 That's why even though I'm brave enough in Christ to order you to do your duty,
Wherefore having much boldness in Christ to enjoin thee what is fitting,
9 I would rather ask you this favor out of love. Old Paul, now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus,
for love's sake I rather exhort, being such a one as Paul the aged, and now also prisoner of Jesus Christ.
10 is appealing to you on behalf of Onesimus who became my adopted son during my imprisonment.
I exhort thee for my child, whom I have begotten in [my] bonds, Onesimus,
11 In the past he was of no use to you, but now he's useful to both you and me!
once unserviceable to thee, but now serviceable to thee and to me:
12 I send him to you with my fondest wishes.
whom I have sent back to thee: [but do thou receive] him, that is, my bowels:
13 I'd have preferred to keep him here with me so that he could have helped me as you would have done while I am in chains for telling the good news.
whom I was desirous of keeping with myself, that for thee he might minister to me in the bonds of the glad tidings;
14 But I decided not do anything without your permission. I didn't want you to be forced to do good, but to do so willingly.
but I have wished to do nothing without thy mind, that thy good might not be as of necessity but of willingness:
for perhaps for this reason he has been separated [from thee] for a time, that thou mightest possess him fully for ever; (aiōnios g166)
16 He's not a servant anymore, because he's more than a servant. He's a specially-loved brother, particularly to me, and even more to you, both as a man and as a fellow-believer in the Lord.
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?
17 So if you consider me as a colleague working together with you for the Lord, welcome him as if you were welcoming me.
If therefore thou holdest me to be a partner [with thee], receive him as me;
18 If he has done you any wrong, or owes you anything, charge it to my account.
but if he have wronged thee anything or owe anything [to thee], put this to my account.
19 I Paul am signing this with my own hand: I will repay you. Of course I won't mention what you owe me, including your very self!
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.
20 Yes, brother, I'm expecting this favor from you in the Lord; please make me happy in Christ.
Yea, brother, I would have profit of thee in [the] Lord: refresh my bowels in Christ.
21 I'm writing about this to you because I'm convinced you'll do as I ask—in fact I know you'll do even more than I've asked!
Being confident of thine obedience, I have written to thee, knowing that thou wilt do even more than I say.
22 In the meantime please have a room ready for me, for I hope to be able to return to see you soon in answer to your prayers.
But withal prepare me also a lodging; for I hope that I shall be granted to you through your prayers.
23 Epaphras who is here in prison with me sends his greetings,
Epaphras salutes thee, my fellow-prisoner in Christ Jesus;
24 as do my co-workers Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke.
Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow-workmen.
25 May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all of you.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ [be] with your spirit.
