1Verse 1Paul, a prisoner for+Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon, our beloved friend and fellow worker,Verse 2and also to+the beloved Apphia, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church that meets in yoʋr house:Verse 3Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Philemon's Love and Faith
Verse 4I give thanks to my God, always making mention of yoʋ in my prayers,Verse 5because I hear of yoʋr love for all the saints and the faith that yoʋ have toward the Lord Jesus.Verse 6I 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.Verse 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.
Paul's Appeal for Onesimus
Verse 8Therefore, although I am bold enough in Christ to command yoʋ to do what is right,Verse 9I would rather appeal to yoʋ on the basis of love. I, Paul, an old man and now a prisoner for+Jesus Christ,Verse 10appeal to yoʋ on behalf of my child, Onesimus, whose father I have become during my imprisonment.Verse 11Once he was useless to yoʋ, but now he is useful both to yoʋ and to me. I am sending him+back,Verse 12+and I ask yoʋ to receive him, that is, my very own heart.Verse 13I wanted to keep him with me so that he could serve me in yoʋr place during my imprisonment for the gospel.Verse 14But 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.Verse 15Perhaps the reason he was separated from yoʋ for an hour was so that yoʋ might have him back forever,Verse 16no 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.Verse 17So if yoʋ consider me to be a partner, receive him as yoʋ would receive me.Verse 18If he has wronged yoʋ in any way or owes yoʋ anything, charge it to me.Verse 19I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it (not to mention that yoʋ owe me yoʋr very own life).Verse 20Yes, brother, let me have some benefit from yoʋ in the Lord. Refresh my heart in+the Lord.Verse 21Trusting in yoʋr obedience, I write to yoʋ, knowing that yoʋ will do even more than I ask.Verse 22At 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.
Final Greetings
Verse 23Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ+Jesus,Verse 24and Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers, greet yoʋ.Verse 25The grace of+our Lord Jesus+Christ be with your spirit.+Amen.+