1 P aul, prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timotheus the brother, to Philemon the beloved and our fellow-workman,

Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our beloved friend and fellow laborer,

2 a nd to the sister Apphia and to Archippus our fellow-soldier, and to the assembly which in thine house.

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

3 G race to you and peace from God our Father, and Lord Jesus Christ.

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Philemon’s Love and Faith

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

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

5 h earing of thy love and the faith which thou hast towards the Lord Jesus, and towards all the saints,

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

6 i n such sort that thy participation in the faith should become operative in the acknowledgment of every good thing which is in us towards Christ.

that the sharing of your faith may become effective by the acknowledgment of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.

7 F or we have great thankfulness and encouragement through thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother.

For we have great joy and consolation in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother. The Plea for Onesimus

8 W herefore having much boldness in Christ to enjoin thee what is fitting,

Therefore, though I might be very bold in Christ to command you what is fitting,

9 f or love's sake I rather exhort, being such a one as Paul the aged, and now also prisoner of Jesus Christ.

yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you —being such a one as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ—

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

I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten while in my chains,

11 o nce unserviceable to thee, but now serviceable to thee and to me:

who once was unprofitable to you, but now is profitable to you and to me.

12 w hom I have sent back to thee: him, that is, my bowels:

I am sending him back. You therefore receive him, that is, my own heart,

13 w hom I was desirous of keeping with myself, that for thee he might minister to me in the bonds of the glad tidings;

whom I wished to keep with me, that on your behalf he might minister to me in my chains for the gospel.

14 b ut I have wished to do nothing without thy mind, that thy good might not be as of necessity but of willingness:

But without your consent I wanted to do nothing, that your good deed might not be by compulsion, as it were, but voluntary.

15 f or perhaps for this reason he has been separated for a time, that thou mightest possess him fully for ever;

For perhaps he departed for a while for this purpose, that you might receive him forever,

16 n ot any longer as a bondman, but above a bondman, a beloved brother, specially to me, and how much rather to thee, both in flesh and in Lord?

no longer as a slave but more than a slave—a beloved brother, especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord. Philemon’s Obedience Encouraged

17 I f therefore thou holdest me to be a partner, receive him as me;

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

18 b ut if he have wronged thee anything or owe anything, put this to my account.

But if he has wronged you or owes anything, put that on my account.

19 I Paul have written with mine own hand; I will repay: that I say not to thee that thou owest even thine own self also to me.

I, Paul, am writing with my own hand. I will repay—not to mention to you that you owe me even your own self besides.

20 Y ea, brother, I would have profit of thee in Lord: refresh my bowels in Christ.

Yes, brother, let me have joy from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in the Lord.

21 B eing confident of thine obedience, I have written to thee, knowing that thou wilt do even more than I say.

Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say.

22 B ut withal prepare me also a lodging; for I hope that I shall be granted to you through your prayers.

But, meanwhile, also prepare a guest room for me, for I trust that through your prayers I shall be granted to you. Farewell

23 E paphras salutes thee, my fellow-prisoner in Christ Jesus;

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

24 M ark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow-workmen.

as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow laborers.

25 T he grace of our Lord Jesus Christ with your spirit.

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