Philemon 1

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

[I], Paul, am a prisoner [who serves] Christ Jesus. [I am here] with Timothy, our fellow believer. [I am writing this letter] to [you], Philemon, our dear [friend] and fellow worker.

2 to the beloved Apphia, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the assembly in your house:

[I am also writing] to [your wife], Apphia, and to Archippus, [who is like] [MET] our fellow soldier [because he serves Christ steadfastly together with us]. I am also [writing this] to the congregation [that meets/gathers] in your [(sg)] house.

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

[I pray that] God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ [will continue to] act kindly toward you all and [will continue to] cause you to have [inner] peace.

4 I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers,

I always thank my God when I pray for you [(sg)], because I hear [people say that] you love all God’s people [CHI]

5 hearing of your love and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints,

and that you continue to trust in the Lord Jesus.

6 that the fellowship of your faith may become effective in the knowledge of every good thing which is in us in Christ Jesus.

I pray that as a result of your knowing all the good things [that God/Christ has done for] us, you may (be effective/influence many others) as you tell others what you believe, in order that [they may honor] Christ.

7 For we have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.

I have rejoiced greatly and have been greatly encouraged because you, my dear friend, have acted lovingly toward God’s people by encouraging them [SYN].

8 Therefore though I have all boldness in Christ to command you that which is appropriate,

So [I have a request/favor to ask of you]. I am completely confident [that I have authority] to command you [to do] what you ought to do, because [I am an apostle of] Christ.

9 yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you, being such a one as Paul, the aged, but also a prisoner of Jesus Christ.

But because [I know that you] love [God’s people], I request this instead of [commanding you to do it]. It is I, Paul, an old man and now also a prisoner [because I serve] Christ Jesus, [who am requesting it].

10 I appeal to you for my child Onesimus, whom I have become the father of in my chains,

I request that you [do something] for someone [who has become like] my own son [because I told him about Christ] [MET] while [I have been] a prisoner [MTY] [here. His name is] Onesimus.

11 who once was useless to you, but now is useful to you and to me.

Although [his name, as you know, means ‘useful’], formerly he was useless to you. But now he is useful both to you and to me!

12 I am sending him back. Therefore receive him, that is, my own heart,

Although (he is [as dear to me as/I love him as much as I love]) [MET] my own self [MTY], I am sending him back to you.

13 whom I desired to keep with me, that on your behalf he might serve me in my chains for the Good News.

I would like to have kept him with me, in order that he might serve me on your behalf, while I am a prisoner [MTY] [because of my preaching] the message [about Christ].

14 But I was willing to do nothing without your consent, that your goodness would not be as of necessity, but of free will.

Nevertheless, because [I had not yet asked you and] you had not yet permitted me [to keep him here with me], I decided not to [keep him here. I decided that I should] not do anything without your permitting it. [I decided that you should help me only if you] really want to help me.

15 For perhaps he was therefore separated from you for a while that you would have him forever, (aiōnios g166)

Perhaps the reason that [God permitted] Onesimus to be separated from {to leave} you for a little while was that [he would believe in Christ, and as a result] you would have him (back/with you) forever! (aiōnios g166)

16 no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother—especially to me, but how much rather to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.

[You will no longer have him only] as a slave. Instead, [you will have him] as [someone who is] more than a slave. [You will have him] as a fellow believer! He is especially dear to me, but he certainly will be more dear to you [than he is to me] (OR, I love him very much, but you will certainly love him more than I do), [because now he] not only belongs to you but he also belongs to the Lord.

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

So, if you consider me to be your partner [in God’s work], receive him as you would receive me.

18 But if he has wronged you at all or owes you anything, put that to my account.

If he has wronged you in any manner or if he owes you anything, (charge that to me/tell me so that I can pay you).

19 I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it (not to mention to you that you owe to me even your own self besides).

I, Paul, am now writing this in my own handwriting: I will repay you what he owes you, although I might mention to you that you owe me even more than Onesimus may owe you, because it was the result of my telling you about Christ that God saved you.

20 Yes, brother, let me have joy from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in the Lord.

(Yes/I say it again), my dear friend, because you and I both have a relationship with the Lord, I want you to do this for me. Encourage me [SYN] [by receiving Onesimus kindly, just like you encourage others who believe] in Christ.

21 Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even beyond what I say.

I have written [this letter] to you, confident that you will do what I am requesting you to [do]. [In fact], I know that you will do even more than what I am requesting [you to do].

22 Also, prepare a guest room for me, for I hope that through your prayers I will be restored to you.

Also, keep a guest room ready for me [to stay in], because I confidently expect that as a result of your prayers [for me, I] will be released [from prison and will come] to you all.

23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you,

Epaphras, who is [suffering] with me in prison because of [his serving] Christ Jesus, (sends his greetings to you/wants you to know that he is thinking fondly about you).

24 as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.

Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, who are my [other] fellow workers, also (send their greetings to you/want you to know that they are thinking fondly about you).

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

[I pray that] the Lord Jesus Christ [will] ([continue to] work kindly in all your lives/kindly keep accomplishing what he desires within you).