1 ¶ Pablo, preso por causa de Cristo Jesús, y el hermano Timoteo, a Filemón amado, y ayudador nuestro;

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

2 y a la amada Apia hermana, y a Arquipo, compañero de nuestra milicia, y a la Iglesia que está en tu casa:

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

3 G racia y paz halléis del Dios nuestro Padre, y del Señor Jesús el Cristo.

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

4 D oy gracias a mi Dios, haciendo siempre memoria de ti en mis oraciones.

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

5 O yendo tu caridad, y la fe que tienes en el Señor Jesús, y para con todos los santos;

Because 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).

6 q ue la comunicación de tu fe sea eficaz, para conocimiento de todo el bien que está en vosotros, por Cristo Jesús.

that 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.

7 P orque tenemos gran gozo y consolación en tu caridad, de que por ti, oh hermano, han sido recreadas las entrañas de los santos.

For 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.

8 ¶ Por lo cual, aunque tengo mucha resolución en Cristo de mandarte en lo que te conviene,

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

9 r uego antes por la caridad porque soy tal, es a saber, Pablo ya anciano, y aun ahora preso por amor de Jesús, el Cristo;

Yet 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—

10 l o que ruego es por mi hijo Onésimo, que he engendrado en mi prisión,

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

11 e l cual en otro tiempo te fue inútil, mas ahora a ti y a mí nos es útil;

Once he was unprofitable to you, but now he is indeed profitable to you as well as to me.

12 e l cual te vuelvo a enviar; tú pues, recíbele como a mí mismo.

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

13 Y o quisiera detenerle conmigo, para que en lugar de ti me sirviera en la prisión del Evangelio;

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.

14 m as nada quise hacer sin tu consejo, porque tu beneficio no fuera como de necesidad, sino voluntario.

But 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.

15 P orque quizás para esto se apartó de ti por algún tiempo, para que le vuelvas a tener para siempre;

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

16 y a no como siervo, antes más que siervo, a saber como hermano amado, mayormente de mí, y cuánto más de ti, en la carne y en el Señor.

Not 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.

17 A sí que, si me tienes por compañero, recíbele como a mí.

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

18 Y si en algo te dañó, o te debe, ponlo a mi cuenta.

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

19 Y o Pablo lo escribí de mi mano, yo lo pagaré; por no decirte que aun a ti mismo te me debes.

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!

20 A sí, hermano, yo me goce de ti en el Señor; que recrees mi corazón en el Señor.

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

21 T e he escrito confiando en tu obediencia, sabiendo que aun harás más de lo que digo.

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

22 Y asimismo prepárame también alojamiento; porque espero que por vuestras oraciones os tengo de ser concedido.

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

23 T e saludan Epafras, mi compañero en la prisión por el Cristo Jesús.

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

24 M arcos, Aristarco, Demas, y Lucas, mis ayudadores.

And Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.

25 L a gracia de nuestro Señor Jesús el Cristo sea con vuestro espíritu, Amén.

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