Philemon 1 — GMV

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