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

Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our beloved brother and fellow worker,

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

and to Apphia our sister, and to 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 to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Philemon’s Love and Faith

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

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

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

because I hear of your love and of the faith which you have toward 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;

and 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.

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

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

Therefore, though I have enough confidence in Christ to order you to do what is proper,

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;

yet 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

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

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

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

who formerly was useless to you, but now is useful both to you and to me.

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

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

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

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 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.

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

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

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!

no 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.

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

If then you regard me a partner, accept him as you would me.

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

But if he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge that 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, 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).

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

Yes, brother, let me benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart 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;

Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, since I know that you will do even more than what 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.

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

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

Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you,

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

as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow workers.

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

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.