Philemon 1

1 PAUL, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy a brother, to Philemon the beloved, and our fellow-labourer,

To my beloved friend and coworker Philemon,

2 and to Apphia the beloved, and to Archippus our fellow-soldier, and to the church at thy 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 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 in my prayers,

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

5 hearing of thy love and faith which thou hast towards the Lord Jesus, and unto 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 that there may be an operative communication of thy faith made known by every good thing, which is in you towards Jesus 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 we have great joy and consolation in thy love, because the bowels of the saints have been 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, though I have in Christ great liberty to enjoin thee what is becoming,

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

9 I rather for love’s sake entreat, being such as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner for 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 entreat thee for my son, whom I have begotten during my bonds, Onesimus:

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

11 who in time past hath been an unprofitable servant to thee, but now very profitable 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; thou therefore receive him, even as my own bowels:

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

13 whom I wished to detain about myself, that in thy stead he might have waited upon me during my bonds 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 without thy consent would I do nothing; that this good deed of thine might not be as of necessity, but from thy own choice.

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 to this end perhaps was he separated from thee for a season, that thou mightest receive him 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 no longer as a slave, but above a slave, as a brother beloved, especially by me, but how much more by 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 a sharer with thee, receive him as myself.

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

18 If he hath injured thee or oweth thee ought, put that to my account;

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

19 I Paul have given it under my own hand, I will repay it, not to say to thee, that thou owest even thine own self unto 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 wish to have joy in thee in the Lord: refresh my bowels in the Lord.

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

21 Having confidence in thy obedience, I have written unto thee, knowing that thou wilt do 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 at the same time prepare me also a lodging: for I hope that through your prayers I shall be given unto 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 fellow-prisoner in Christ Jesus;

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

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

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

25 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit. Amen. Written to Philemon from Rome, by Onesimus one of his household.

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