Philemon

 

Philemon

 1: From Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and our colleague Timothy, to Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker,

 2: together with Apphia our sister, and Archippus our comrade-in-arms, and the church which meets at your house.

  3: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

  4: I thank my God always when I mention you in my prayers,

  5: for I hear of your love and faith towards the Lord Jesus and for all good people.

  6: My prayer is that the faith you hold in common with us may deepen your understanding of all the blessings which belong to us as we are brought closer to Christ.

  7: Your love has brought me much joy and encouragement; through you God’s people have been much refreshed.

  8: Accordingly, although in Christ I might feel free to dictate where your duty lies,

  9: yet, because of that same love, I would rather appeal to you. Ambassador as I am of Christ Jesus, and now His prisoner,

  10: I, Paul, appeal to you about my child, whose father I have become in this prison. I mean Onesimus,

  11: once so useless to you, but now useful indeed, both to you and to me.

  12: In sending him back to you I am sending my heart.

  13: I should have liked to keep him with me, to look after me on your behalf, here in prison for the gospel,

  14: but I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that our kindness might be a matter not of compulsion, but of your own free will.

  15: Perhaps this is why you lost him for a time to receive him back for good –

  16: no longer as a slave: as a dear brother, very dear to me, and still dearer to you, both as a man and as a Christian.

  17: If, then, you think of me as your partner in faith, welcome him as you would welcome me.

  18: If he did you any wrong and owes you anything, put it down to my account.

  19: Here is my signature: Paul. I will repay you – not to mention that you owe me your very self.

  20: Yes, brother, I am asking this favour of you as a fellow-Christian; set my mind at rest.

  21: I write to you confident that you will meet my wishes; I know that you will in fact do more than I ask.

  22: And one last thing: have a room ready for me, for I hope through the prayers of you all to be restored to you.

  23: Epaphras, a captive of Chris Jesus like myself, sends you greetings.

  24: So do my fellow workers Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke.

  25: The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your Spirit!