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

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

2 t o the beloved Apphia, to Archippus, our fellow soldier, and to the assembly 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.

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 h earing 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 t hat the fellowship of your faith may become effective, in the knowledge of every good thing which is in us in Christ Jesus.

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 we 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 all boldness in Christ to command you that which is appropriate,

¶ 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 beg, being such a one as Paul, the aged, but also a prisoner of Jesus Christ.

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 beg you for my child, whom I have become the father of in my chains, Onesimus,

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

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

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

12 I am sending him back. Therefore receive him, that is, my own heart,

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

13 w hom I desired to keep with me, that on your behalf he might serve me in my chains for the Good News.

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 I was willing to do nothing without your consent, that your goodness would not be as of necessity, but of 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 therefore separated from you for a while, that you would have him 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 rather 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 count me a partner, receive him as you would receive me.

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

18 B ut if he has wronged you at all, or owes you anything, put that to my account.

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

19 I , Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it (not to mention to you that you owe to me even your own self besides).

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 have joy from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in the Lord.

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, knowing that you will do even beyond 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 lso, prepare a guest room for me, for I hope that through your prayers I will be restored 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, and Luke, my fellow workers.

Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, my fellowlabourers.

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

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