1 ¶ Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy, our brother, unto Philemon, our dearly beloved and fellowlabourer,

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

2 A nd to our beloved sister, Apphia, and Archippus, our fellowsoldier and to the congregation in thy house:

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

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

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

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

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

5 h earing of thy charity and faith, which thou hast in the Lord Jesus and toward all saints;

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 t hat the communication of thy faith may become effectual for the knowledge of all the good that is in you by Christ Jesus.

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 F or we have great joy and consolation in thy charity because the bowels of the saints have been refreshed by thee, brother.

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 ¶ Therefore, though I might be very bold in Christ to command thee that which is expedient,

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

9 y et for the sake of charity I rather beseech thee, being such a one as Paul the aged and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ.

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

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

11 w ho in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now is profitable to thee and to me,

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

12 w hom I send again unto thee; therefore, receive him, as you would receive me.

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

13 I desired to retain him with me, that in thy stead he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel,

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 b ut I did not want to do anything without thy counsel, that thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly.

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 erhaps for this, he departed from you for a season, that thou should have him again forever,

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

16 n ot now as a slave, but above a slave, a brother beloved, especially to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord.

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 I f thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself.

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

18 I f he has wronged thee or owes thee anything, put that on my account;

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

19 I Paul have written it with my own hand, I will repay it; albeit I do not say to thee how thou owest unto me even thine own self besides.

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 T herefore, brother, let me have joy of thee in the Lord, that thou might refresh my heart in the Lord.

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

21 H aving confidence in thy obedience, I have written unto thee, knowing that thou wilt also do more than I say.

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

22 I n the same manner prepare me also a lodging; for I trust that through your prayers I shall be given unto you.

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

23 E paphras, my fellowprisoner in Christ Jesus, salutes thee.

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

24 M arcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, my fellowlabourers.

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

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

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