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

2 a nd Apphia the beloved, and Archippus our fellow-soldier, and the assembly in thy house:

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

4 I give thanks to my God, always making mention of thee in my prayers,

5 h earing of thy love and faith that thou hast unto the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints,

6 t hat the fellowship of thy faith may become working in the full knowledge of every good thing that in you toward Christ Jesus;

7 f or we have much joy and comfort in thy love, because the bowels of the saints have been refreshed through thee, brother.

8 W herefore, having in Christ much boldness to command thee that which is fit --

9 b ecause of the love I rather entreat, being such an one as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ;

10 I entreat thee concerning my child -- whom I did beget in my bonds -- Onesimus,

11 w ho once was to thee unprofitable, and now is profitable to me and to thee,

12 w hom I did send again, and thou him (that is, my own bowels) receive,

13 w hom I did wish to retain to myself, that in thy behalf he might minister to me in the bonds of the good news,

14 a nd apart from thy mind I willed to do nothing, that as of necessity thy good deed may not be, but of willingness,

15 f or perhaps because of this he did depart for an hour, that age-duringly thou mayest have him,

16 n o more as a servant, but above a servant -- a brother beloved, especially to me, and how much more to thee, both in the flesh and in the Lord!

17 I f, then, with me thou hast fellowship, receive him as me,

18 a nd if he did hurt to thee, or doth owe anything, this to me be reckoning;

19 I , Paul did write with my hand, I -- I will repay; that I may not say that also thyself, besides, to me thou dost owe.

20 Y es, brother, may I have profit of thee in the Lord; refresh my bowels in the Lord;

21 h aving been confident in thy obedience I did write to thee, having known that also above what I may say thou wilt do;

22 a nd at the same time also prepare for me a lodging, for I hope that through your prayers I shall be granted to you.

23 S alute thee doth Epaphras, (my fellow-captive in Christ Jesus,)

24 M arkus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lukas, my fellow-workmen!

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