Philemon 1

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

To my beloved friend and coworker Philemon,

2 and to sister Apphia, and Archippus our fellow-soldier, and the church 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 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 give thanks to my God always, making mention of you in my prayers,

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

5 hearing about your divine love, and the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus, and 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 order that the fellowship of your faith may be efficient in the perfect knowledge of every good thing which is in you toward Christ.

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 I had much joy and consolation over your divine love, because the affections of the saints have been refreshed by you, O brother.

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

8 Therefore, having much boldness in Christ to command you to that which is appropriate,

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

9 on account of the divine love, I the more exhort you, being such as Paul the aged, and now also the 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 you concerning my son, whom I begat in my bonds, Onesimus,

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

11 him at one time unprofitable to you, but now profitable both to you and to me: whom I have sent back to you,

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

12 him, that is my own heart.

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

13 Whom I did wish to have with me, in order that he might minister unto me in your stead in the bonds 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 your consent I did not wish to do anything; in order that your good might not be by constraint, but by the 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 for on this account he suddenly departed from you for an hour, that you might have him back 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 brother beloved, especially to me, and much more to 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 have me a comrade, receive him as myself.

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

18 If he has wronged you as to anything, or owes you anything, charge this to me.

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

19 I Paul have written with my own hand, I will pay it: not that I may say to you that you even owe yourself 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, let me rejoice over you in the Lord: refresh my heart in Christ.

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 have written to you, knowing that you will do even more than those things which 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 And at the same time also prepare for me a lodging: for I hope that through your prayers I will be consigned unto 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-soldier in Christ Jesus;

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

24 Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow-workers, salute you.

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

25 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

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