1 P aul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our beloved brother and fellow worker,

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

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

And to our beloved sister, Apphia, and Archippus, our fellowsoldier and to the congregation in thy house:

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

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

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

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

5 b ecause I hear of your love and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints;

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

6 a nd I pray that the fellowship of your faith may become effective through the knowledge of every good thing which is in you for Christ’s sake.

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

7 F or I have come to have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.

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

8 T herefore, though I have enough confidence in Christ to order you to do what is proper,

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

9 y et for love’s sake I rather appeal to you —since I am such a person as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus— Plea for Onesimus, a Free Man

yet 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.

10 I appeal to you for my child Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my imprisonment,

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

11 w ho formerly was useless to you, but now is useful both to you and to me.

who in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now is profitable to thee and to me,

12 I have sent him back to you in person, that is, sending my very heart,

whom I send again unto thee; therefore, receive him, as you would receive me.

13 w hom I wished to keep with me, so that on your behalf he might minister to me in my imprisonment for the gospel;

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

14 b ut without your consent I did not want to do anything, so that your goodness would not be, in effect, by compulsion but of your own free will.

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

15 F or perhaps he was for this reason separated from you for a while, that you would have him back forever,

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

16 n o 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.

not 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.

17 I f then you regard me a partner, accept him as you would me.

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

18 B ut if he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge that to my account;

If he has wronged thee or owes thee anything, put that on my account;

19 I , Paul, am writing this with my own hand, I will repay it ( not to mention to you that you owe to me even your own self as well).

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.

20 Y es, brother, let me benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ.

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

21 H aving confidence in your obedience, I write to you, since I know that you will do even more than what I say.

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

22 A t the same time also prepare me a lodging, for I hope that through your prayers I will be given to you.

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

23 E paphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you,

Epaphras, my fellowprisoner in Christ Jesus, salutes thee.

24 a s do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow workers.

Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, my fellowlabourers.

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

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