Philemon — Chapter 1

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

2to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church that meets at your house:

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

4I always thank my God, remembering you in my prayers,

5because I hear about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints.

6I pray that your partnership in the faith may become effective as you fully acknowledge every good thing that is ours in Christ.

7I take great joy and encouragement in your love, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints.

8So although in Christ I am bold enough to order you to do what is proper,

9I prefer to appeal on the basis of love. For I, Paul, am now aged, and a prisoner of Christ Jesus as well.

10I appeal to you for my child Onesimus, whose father I became while I was in chains.

11Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.

12I am sending back to you him who is my very heart.

13I would have liked to keep him with me, so that on your behalf he could minister to me in my chains for the gospel.

14But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that your goodness will not be out of compulsion, but by your own free will.

15For perhaps this is why he was separated from you for a while, so that you might have him back for good—

16no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a beloved brother. He is especially beloved to me, but even more so to you, both in person and in the Lord.

17So if you consider me a partner, receive him as you would receive me.

18But if he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge it to my account.

19I, Paul, write this with my own hand. I will repay it—not to mention that you owe me your very self.

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

21Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask.

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

23Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you greetings,

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

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

1Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy our brother, unto Philemon our dearly beloved, and fellowlabourer,

2And to our beloved Apphia, and Archippus our fellowsoldier, and to the church in thy house:

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

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

5Hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints;

6That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.

7For we have great joy and consolation in thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother.

8Wherefore, though I might be much bold in Christ to enjoin thee that which is convenient,

9Yet for love’s sake I rather beseech thee, being such an one as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ.

10I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds:

11Which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me:

12Whom I have sent again: thou therefore receive him, that is, mine own bowels:

13Whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel:

14But without thy mind would I do nothing; that thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly.

15For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him for ever;

16Not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord?

17If thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself.

18If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account;

19I Paul have written it with mine own hand, I will repay it: albeit I do not say to thee how thou owest unto me even thine own self besides.

20Yea, brother, let me have joy of thee in the Lord: refresh my bowels in the Lord.

21Having confidence in thy obedience I wrote unto thee, knowing that thou wilt also do more than I say.

22But withal prepare me also a lodging: for I trust that through your prayers I shall be given unto you.

23There salute thee Epaphras, my fellowprisoner in Christ Jesus;

24Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, my fellowlabourers.

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

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

2and to Apphia our sister, and to Archippus our fellow-soldier, and to the church in thy house:

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

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

5hearing of thy love, and of the faith which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all the saints;

6that the fellowship of thy faith may become effectual, in the knowledge of every good thing which is in you, unto Christ.

7For I had much joy and comfort in thy love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through thee, brother.

8Wherefore, though I have all boldness in Christ to enjoin thee that which is befitting,

9yet for love`s sake I rather beseech, being such a one as Paul the aged, and now a prisoner also of Christ Jesus:

10I beseech thee for my child, whom I have begotten in my bonds, Onesimus,

11who once was unprofitable to thee, but now is profitable to thee and to me:

12whom I have sent back to thee in his own person, that is, my very heart:

13whom I would fain have kept with me, that in thy behalf he might minister unto me in the bonds of the gospel:

14but without thy mind I would do nothing; that thy goodness should not be as of necessity, but of free will.

15For perhaps he was therefore parted [from thee] for a season, that thou shouldest have him for ever;

16no longer as a servant, but more than a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much rather to thee, both in the flesh and in the Lord.

17If then thou countest me a partner, receive him as myself.

18But if he hath wronged the at all, or oweth [thee] aught, put that to mine account;

19I Paul write it with mine own hand, I will repay it: that I say not unto thee that thou owest to me even thine own self besides.

20Yea, brother, let me have joy of thee in the Lord: refresh my heart in Christ.

21Having confidence in thine obedience I write unto thee, knowing that thou wilt do even beyond what I say.

22But withal prepare me also a lodging: for I hope that through your prayers I shall be granted unto you.

23Epaphras, my fellow-prisoner in Christ Jesus, saluteth thee;

24[and so do] Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow-workers.

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

1From Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon, our dear friend and colaborer,

2to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church that meets in your house.

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

4I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers,

5because I hear of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints.

6I pray that the faith you share with us may deepen your understanding of every blessing that belongs to you in Christ.

7I have had great joy and encouragement because of your love, for the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.

8So, although I have quite a lot of confidence in Christ and could command you to do what is proper,

9I would rather appeal to you on the basis of love—I, Paul, an old man and even now a prisoner for the sake of Christ Jesus—

10I am appealing to you concerning my child, whose spiritual father I have become during my imprisonment, that is, Onesimus,

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

12I have sent him (who is my very heart) back to you.

13I wanted to keep him with me so that he could serve me in your place during my imprisonment for the sake of the gospel.

14However, without your consent I did not want to do anything so that your good deed would not be out of compulsion, but from your own willingness.

15For perhaps it was for this reason that he was separated from you for a little while so that you would have him back eternally,

16no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, as a dear brother. He is especially so to me, and even more so to you now, both humanly speaking and in the Lord.

17Therefore if you regard me as a partner, accept him as you would me.

18Now if he has defrauded you of anything or owes you anything, charge what he owes to me.

19I, Paul, have written this letter with my own hand: I will repay it. I could also mention that you owe me your very self.

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

21Since I was confident that you would obey, I wrote to you because I knew that you would do even more than what I am asking you to do.

22At the same time also, prepare a place for me to stay, for I hope that through your prayers I will be given back to you.

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

24Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my colaborers, greet you too.

25May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

16no 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.

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

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

19I, 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).

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

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

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

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

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

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