Book: Philemon

Philemon

Chapter 1

¹ Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and the brother Timothy, to Philemon, our dear friend and fellow worker, ² and to Apphia our sister, and to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church that meets in your home.

³ May grace be to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

⁴ I always thank my God when I mention you in my prayers, ⁵ because I hear about the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and the love you have for all his holy people. ⁶ I pray that the sharing of your faith may be effective, so you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ. ⁷ For I have had much joy and comfort because of your love, because the hearts of God's holy people have been refreshed by you, brother.

⁸ Therefore, although I have all the boldness in Christ to command you to do what you should do, ⁹ yet because of love, I appeal to you instead—I, Paul, an old man, and now a prisoner for Christ Jesus. ¹⁰ I am appealing to you concerning my child Onesimus, whom I have fathered in my chains. ¹¹ For he once was useless to you, but now he is useful both to you and to me. ¹² I have sent him back to you, he who is my very heart. ¹³ I wish I could have kept him with me so he could serve me for you while I am in chains for the sake of the gospel. ¹⁴ But I did not want to do anything without your consent. I did not want your good deed to be from necessity but from good will. ¹⁵ Perhaps for this he was separated from you for a time, so that you might have him back forever. ¹⁶ No longer would he be a slave, but better than a slave, a beloved brother. He is beloved especially to me, and much more so to you, in both the flesh and in the Lord. ¹⁷ So if you have me as a partner, receive him as me. ¹⁸ If he has wronged you or owes you anything, charge that to me. ¹⁹ I, Paul, write this with my own hand. I myself will pay it back—not to mention that you owe me your own self! ²⁰ Yes, brother, let me benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ.

²¹ Confident about your obedience, I am writing to you. I know that you will do even more than I ask. ²² At the same time, prepare a guest room for me, for I hope that through your prayers I will be returned to you.

²³ Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you. ²⁴ So do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.

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