Philemon 1 — BBE
1Verse 1Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon, our dear helper in the faith,Verse 2And to Apphia, our sister, and to Archippus, our brother in God's army, and to the church in your house:Verse 3Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.Verse 4I give praise to God at all times and make prayer for you,Verse 5Hearing of the love and the faith which you have to the Lord Jesus and to all the saints;Verse 6That the faith which you have in common with them may be working with power, in the knowledge of every good thing in you, for Christ.Verse 7For I had great joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been made strong again through you, brother.Verse 8And so, though I might, in the name of Christ, give you orders to do what is right,Verse 9Still, because of love, in place of an order, I make a request to you, I, Paul, an old man and now a prisoner of Christ Jesus:Verse 10My request is for my child Onesimus, the child of my chains,Verse 11Who in the past was of no profit to you, but now is of profit to you and to me:Verse 12Whom I have sent back to you, him who is my very heart:Verse 13Though my desire was to keep him with me, to be my servant in the chains of the good news, in your place:Verse 14But without your approval I would do nothing; so that your good works might not be forced, but done freely from your heart.Verse 15For it is possible that for this reason he was parted from you for a time, so that you might have him for ever;Verse 16No longer as a servant, but more than a servant, a brother, very dear to me specially, but much more to you, in the flesh as well as in the Lord.Verse 17If then you take me to be your friend and brother, take him in as myself.Verse 18If he has done you any wrong or is in debt to you for anything, put it to my account.Verse 19I, Paul, writing this myself, say, I will make payment to you: and I do not say to you that you are in debt to me even for your life.Verse 20So brother, let me have joy of you in the Lord: give new life to my heart in Christ.Verse 21Being certain that you will do my desire, I am writing to you, in the knowledge that you will do even more than I say.Verse 22And make a room ready for me; for I am hoping that through your prayers I will be given to you.Verse 23Epaphras, my brother-prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you his love;Verse 24And so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my brother-workers.Verse 25The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. So be it.