Philemon 1

Greeting

¹Paul, ^a a prisoner ^b of Christ Jesus, ^c and Timothy ^d our brother:

To Philemon our dear friend and coworker, ²to Apphia our sister, ^e to Archippus ^f our fellow soldier, ^g and to the church that meets in your home. ^h

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

Philemon’s Love and Faith

⁴I always thank my God when I mention you in my prayers, ⁵because I hear of your love ⁱ for all the saints and the faith that you have in the Lord Jesus. ⁶I pray that your participation in the faith may become effective ^j through knowing every good thing ^k that is in us ^l for the glory of Christ. ⁷For I have great joy and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed ^m through you, brother.

An Appeal for Onesimus

⁸For this reason, although I have great boldness in Christ to command you to do what is right, ⁹I appeal to you, instead, on the basis of love. I, Paul, as an elderly man ⁿ and now also as a prisoner ^o of Christ Jesus, ¹⁰appeal to you for my son, ^p Onesimus. ^q,^r I became his father ^s while I was in chains. ¹¹Once he was useless to you, but now he is useful both to you and to me. ¹²I am sending him back to you #— #I am sending my very own heart. ^t,^{u 13}I wanted to keep him with me, so that in my imprisonment for the gospel he might serve me in your place. ¹⁴But I didn’t want to do anything without your consent, so that your good deed might not be out of obligation, but of your own free will. ¹⁵For perhaps this is why he was separated from you for a brief time, so that you might get him back permanently, ¹⁶no longer as a slave, but more than a slave #— #as a dearly loved brother. He is especially so to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh ^v and in the Lord. ^w

¹⁷So if you consider me a partner, welcome ^x him as you would me. ¹⁸And if he has wronged you in any way, or owes you anything, charge that to my account. ^{y 19}I, Paul, write this with my own hand: ^z I will repay it #— #not to mention to you that you owe me even your very self. ²⁰Yes, brother, may I benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ. ²¹Since I am confident of your obedience, I am writing to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say. ²²Meanwhile, also prepare a guest room for me, since I hope that through your prayers I will be restored to you.

Final Greetings

²³Epaphras, ^aa my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you greetings, and so do ²⁴Mark, ^ab Aristarchus, ^ac Demas, and Luke, ^ad my coworkers.

²⁵The grace of the Lord ^ae,^af Jesus Christ be with your spirit. ^ag