1Philemon 1

1Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother: To Philemon our dearly-loved fellow labourer--Select Philemon 1:1

2and to our sister Apphia and our comrade Archippus--as well as to the Church in your house.Select Philemon 1:2

3May grace be granted to you all, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.Select Philemon 1:3

4I give continual thanks to my God while making mention of you, my brother, in my prayers,Select Philemon 1:4

5because I hear of your love and of the faith which you have towards the Lord Jesus and which you manifest towards all God's people;Select Philemon 1:5

6praying as I do, that their participation in your faith may result in others fully recognizing all the right affection that is in us toward Christ.Select Philemon 1:6

7For I have found great joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of God's people have been, and are, refreshed through you, my brother.Select Philemon 1:7

8Therefore, though I might with Christ's authority speak very freely and order you to do what is fitting,Select Philemon 1:8

9it is for love's sake that--instead of that--although I am none other than Paul the aged, and am now also a prisoner for Christ Jesus,Select Philemon 1:9

10I entreat you on behalf of my own child whose father I have become while in my chains--I mean Onesimus.Select Philemon 1:10

11Formerly he was useless to you, but now--true to his name--he is of great use to you and to me.Select Philemon 1:11

12I am sending him back to you, though in so doing I send part of myself.Select Philemon 1:12

13It was my wish to keep him at my side for him to attend to my wants, as your representative, during my imprisonment for the Good News.Select Philemon 1:13

14Only I wished to do nothing without your consent, so that his kind action of yours might not be done under pressure, but might be a voluntary one.Select Philemon 1:14

15For perhaps it was for this reason he was parted from you for a time, that you might receive him back wholly and for ever yours;Select Philemon 1:15

16no longer as a slave, but as something better than a slave--a brother peculiarly dear to me, and even dearer to you, both as a servant and as a fellow Christian.Select Philemon 1:16

17If therefore you regard me as a comrade, receive him as if he were I myself.Select Philemon 1:17

18And if he was ever dishonest or is in your debt, debit me with the amount.Select Philemon 1:18

19I Paul write this with my own hand--I will pay you in full. (I say nothing of the fact that you owe me even your own self.)Select Philemon 1:19

20Yes, brother, do me this favour for the Lord's sake. Refresh my heart in Christ.Select Philemon 1:20

21I write to you in the full confidence that you will meet my wishes, for I know you will do even more than I say.Select Philemon 1:21

22And at the same time provide accommodation for me; for I hope that through your prayers I shall be permitted to come to you.Select Philemon 1:22

23Greetings to you, my brother, from Epaphras my fellow prisoner for the sake of Christ Jesus;Select Philemon 1:23

24and from Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.Select Philemon 1:24

25May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with the spirit of every one of you.Select Philemon 1:25