Philemon 1

1 From Paul, now a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and from Timothy, a fellow follower of the Lord.

To my beloved friend and coworker Philemon,

2 To our dear friend and fellow worker Philemon, to our sister Apphia, to our fellow soldier Archippus; and to the church that meets at Philemon’s 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 may God, our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ bless you and give you peace.

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

4 I always mention you in my prayers and thank God for you,

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

5 because I hear of the love and the faith which you show, not only to the Lord Jesus, but also to all his people;

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 and I pray that your participation in the faith may result in action, as you come to a fuller realisation of everything that is good and Christlike in us.

And I pray that your participation may become effectual, as you come to acknowledge every good thing which is in you to Christ.

7 I have indeed found great joy and encouragement in your love, knowing, as I do, how the hearts of Christ’s people have been cheered, friend, by you.

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

8 And so, though my union with Christ enables me, with all confidence, to dictate the course that you should adopt,

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

9 yet the claims of love make me prefer to plead with you – yes, even me, Paul, though I am an ambassador for Christ Jesus and, now a prisoner for him as well.

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

10 I plead with you for this child of mine, Onesimus, to whom, in my prison, I have become a father.

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

11 Once he was of little service to you, but now he has become of great service, not only to you, but to me as well;

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

12 and I am sending him back to you with this letter – though it is like tearing out of my heart.

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

13 For my own sake I should like to keep him with me, so that, while I am in prison for the good news, he might attend to my wants on your behalf.

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 do not wish to do anything without your consent, because I want your generosity to be voluntary and not, as it were, compulsory.

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 was separated from you for an hour, for this reason, so that you might have him back 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 as something better – a dearly loved friend and follower of the Lord, especially dear to me, and how much more so to you, not only as a person, but as your fellow Christian!

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 count me your friend, receive him as you would me.

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

18 If he has caused you any loss, or owes you 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, put my own hand to it – I will repay you myself. I say nothing about your owing me your 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, friend, let me gain something from you because of your union with the Lord. Cheer my heart by your Christlike spirit.

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

21 Even as I write, I have such confidence in your compliance with my wishes, that I am sure that you will do even more than I am asking.

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 Please also get a lodging ready for me, for I hope that I will be given back to you all in answer to your prayers.

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

23 Epaphras, who is my fellow prisoner for Christ Jesus, sends you his greeting;

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

24 and Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers, send theirs.

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

25 May the blessing of the Lord Jesus Christ rest on your souls.

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