Philemon 1

1 Paul a prisoner of Iesus Christ, and our brother Timotheus, vnto Philemon our deare friende, and fellowe helper,

To my beloved friend and coworker Philemon,

2 And to our deare sister Apphia, and to Archippus our fellowe souldier, and to the Church that 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 be with you, and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Iesus Christ.

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

4 I giue thanks to my God, making mention alwaies of thee in my praiers,

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

5 (When I heare of thy loue and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Iesus, and towarde all Saintes)

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 the fellowship of thy faith may bee made effectuall, and that whatsoeuer good thing is in you through Christ Iesus, may be knowen.

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 haue great ioy and consolation in thy loue, because by thee, brother, the Saintes bowels are comforted.

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 bee very bolde in Christ to commaund thee that which is conuenient,

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

9 Yet for loues sake I rather beseeche thee, though I be as I am, euen Paul aged, and euen nowe a prisoner for Iesus Christ.

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

10 I beseeche thee for my sonne Onesimus, whome I haue begotten in my bondes,

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

11 Which in times past was to thee vnprofitable, but nowe profitable both to thee and to me,

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

12 Whome I haue sent againe: thou therefore receiue him, that is mine owne bowels,

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

13 Whom I woulde haue reteined with mee, that in thy steade he might haue ministred vnto me in the bondes of 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 thy minde woulde I doe nothing, that thy benefite should not be as it were of necessitie, but willingly.

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 It may be that he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receiue him for euer, (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 now as a seruant, but aboue a seruant, euen as a brother beloued, specially to me: howe much more then vnto 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 count our thinges common, receiue him as my selfe.

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

18 If he hath hurt thee, or oweth thee ought, that put on mine accounts.

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

19 I Paul haue written this with mine owne hande: I will recompense it, albeit I doe not say to thee, that thou owest moreouer vnto me euen thine owne selfe.

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, let mee obteine this pleasure of thee in the Lord: comfort my bowels in the Lord.

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

21 Trusting in thine obedience, I wrote vnto thee, knowing that thou wilt do eue more then 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 Moreouer also prepare mee lodging: for I trust through your prayers I shall be freely giuen vnto you.

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

23 There salute thee Epaphras my felowe prisoner in Christ Iesus,

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

24 Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke, my felowe helpers.

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

25 The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with your spirit, Amen. ‘Written from Rome to Philemon, and send by Onesimus a seruant.’

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