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

Paul, prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timotheus the brother, to Philemon the beloved and our fellow-workman,

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

and to the sister Apphia and to Archippus our fellow-soldier, and to the assembly which in thine 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 Lord Jesus Christ.

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

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

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

hearing of thy love and the faith which thou hast towards the Lord Jesus, and towards 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;

in such sort that thy participation in the faith should become operative in the acknowledgment of every good thing which is in us towards Christ.

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

For we have great thankfulness and encouragement through thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother.

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

Wherefore having much boldness in Christ to enjoin thee what is fitting,

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;

for love's sake I rather exhort, being such a one as Paul the aged, and now also prisoner of Jesus Christ.

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

I exhort thee for my child, whom I have begotten in bonds, Onesimus,

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

once unserviceable to thee, but now serviceable to thee and to me:

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

whom I have sent back to thee: him, that is, my bowels:

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,

whom I was desirous of keeping with myself, that for thee he might minister to me in the bonds of the glad tidings;

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,

but I have wished to do nothing without thy mind, that thy good might not be as of necessity but of willingness:

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

for perhaps for this reason he has been separated for a time, that thou mightest possess him fully for ever;

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!

not any longer as a bondman, but above a bondman, a beloved brother, specially to me, and how much rather to thee, both in flesh and in Lord?

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

If therefore thou holdest me to be a partner, receive him as me;

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

but if he have wronged thee anything or owe anything, put this to my account.

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.

I Paul have written with mine own hand; I will repay: that I say not to thee that thou owest even thine own self also to me.

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

Yea, brother, I would have profit of thee in Lord: refresh my bowels in Christ.

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;

Being confident of thine obedience, I have written to thee, knowing that thou wilt do even more than I say.

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.

But withal prepare me also a lodging; for I hope that I shall be granted to you through your prayers.

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

Epaphras salutes thee, my fellow-prisoner in Christ Jesus;

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

Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow-workmen.

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

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ with your spirit.