Philemon 1

1 Paul, a prisoner of Messiah Yeshua, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon, our beloved fellow worker,

To my beloved friend and coworker Philemon,

2 to the beloved Apphia, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the assembly 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 Yeshua the Messiah.

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

4 I thank 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 of your love and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Yeshua and toward all the holy ones,

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 the fellowship of your faith may become effective in the knowledge of every good thing which is in us in Messiah Yeshua.

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 much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the holy ones have been refreshed through you, brother.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 was willing to do nothing without your consent, that your goodness would not be as of necessity, but of 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 perhaps he was therefore separated from you for a while that you would have him 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 beloved brother—especially to me, but how much rather 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 count me a partner, receive him as you would receive me.

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

18 But if he has wronged you at all or owes you anything, 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, 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 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 joy from you 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 Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even beyond what 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 Also, prepare a guest room for me, for I hope that through your prayers I will be restored to 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 prisoner in Messiah Yeshua, greets you,

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

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

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

25 The grace of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah be with your spirit. Amen.

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