Philemon 1

1 Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon, our beloved friend and fellow worker,

To my beloved friend and coworker Philemon,

2 and also to the beloved Apphia, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church that meets in yoʋr 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 yoʋ in my prayers,

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

5 because I hear of yoʋr love for all the saints and the faith that yoʋ have toward the Lord Jesus.

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 I pray that yoʋr fellowship with us in the faith may be effective in deepening yoʋr understanding of every blessing that we have in Christ Jesus.

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

7 We are very thankful for the comfort we have received from yoʋr love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through yoʋ, brother.

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

8 Therefore, although I am bold enough in Christ to command yoʋ to do what is right,

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

9 I would rather appeal to yoʋ on the basis of love. I, Paul, an old man and now 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 appeal to yoʋ on behalf of my child, Onesimus, whose father I have become during my imprisonment.

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

11 Once he was useless to yoʋ, but now he is useful both to yoʋ and to me. I am sending him back,

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

12 and I ask yoʋ to receive him, that is, my very own heart.

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

13 I wanted to keep him with me so that he could serve me in yoʋr place during my imprisonment 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 I did not want to do anything without yoʋr consent, so that yoʋr good deed would not be done out of compulsion, but of yoʋr own 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 Perhaps the reason he was separated from yoʋ for an hour was so that yoʋ 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, as a beloved brother, especially to me, but even more so to yoʋ, 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 So if yoʋ consider me to be a partner, receive him as yoʋ would receive me.

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

18 If he has wronged yoʋ in any way or owes yoʋ 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, write this with my own hand: I will repay it (not to mention that yoʋ owe me yoʋr very own life).

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, brother, let me have some benefit from yoʋ in the Lord. Refresh my heart in the Lord.

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

21 Trusting in yoʋr obedience, I write to yoʋ, knowing that yoʋ will do even more than I ask.

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 At the same time, I want yoʋ to prepare a guest room for me, for I hope that through your prayers I will be restored to you soon.

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

23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus,

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

24 and Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers, greet yoʋ.

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

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

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