1 P aul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus (the Messiah), and our brother Timothy, to Philemon our dearly beloved sharer with us in our work,

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

2 A nd to Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house:

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

3 G race (spiritual blessing and favor) be to all of you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah).

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

4 I give thanks to my God for you always when I mention you in my prayers,

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

5 B ecause I continue to hear of your love and of your loyal faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints (God’s consecrated people).

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

6 t hat the participation in and sharing of your faith may produce and promote full recognition and appreciation and understanding and precise knowledge of every good that is ours in Christ Jesus.

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

7 F or I have derived great joy and comfort and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the saints have been cheered and refreshed through you, brother.

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

8 T herefore, though I have abundant boldness in Christ to charge you to do what is fitting and required and your duty to do,

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

9 Y et for love’s sake I prefer to appeal to you just for what I am—I, Paul, an ambassador and an old man and now a prisoner for His sake also—

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

10 I appeal to you for my child, Onesimus, whom I have begotten while a captive in these chains.

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

11 O nce he was unprofitable to you, but now he is indeed profitable to you as well as to me.

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

12 I am sending him back to you in his own person, my very heart.

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

13 I would have chosen to keep him with me, in order that he might minister to my needs in your stead during my imprisonment for the Gospel’s sake.

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

14 B ut it has been my wish to do nothing about it without first consulting you and getting your consent, in order that your benevolence might not seem to be the result of compulsion or of pressure but might be voluntary.

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

15 P erhaps it was for this reason that he was separated for a while, that you might have him back as yours forever,

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

16 N ot as a slave any longer but as more than a slave, as a brother, especially dear to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.

no 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.

17 I f then you consider me a partner and a comrade in fellowship, welcome and receive him as you would me.

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

18 A nd if he has done you any wrong in any way or owes anything, charge that to my account.

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

19 I , Paul, write it with my own hand, I promise to repay it —and that is to say nothing that you owe me your very self!

I 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.

20 Y es, brother, let me have some profit from you in the Lord. Cheer and refresh my heart in Christ.

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

21 I write to you confident of your obedient compliance, knowing that you will do even more than I ask.

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

22 A t the same time prepare a guest room to me, for I am hoping through your prayers to be granted to you.

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

23 G reetings to you from Epaphras, my fellow prisoner here in Christ Jesus (the Messiah),

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

24 A nd Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.

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

25 T he grace (blessing and favor) of the Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah) be with your spirit. Amen (so be it).

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