Philemon 1

¹Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy our brother, unto Philemon our dearly beloved, and fellowlabourer,

²And to our beloved Apphia, and Archippus our fellowsoldier, and to the church in thy house:

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

⁴I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers,

⁵Hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints;

⁶That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.

⁷For we have great joy and consolation in thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother.

⁸Wherefore, though I might be much bold in Christ to enjoin thee that which is convenient,

⁹Yet for love’s sake I rather beseech thee, being such an one as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ.

¹⁰I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds:

¹¹Which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me:

¹²Whom I have sent again: thou therefore receive him, that is, mine own bowels:

¹³Whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel:

¹⁴But without thy mind would I do nothing; that thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly.

¹⁵For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him for ever;

¹⁶Not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord?

¹⁷If thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself.

¹⁸If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account;

¹⁹I Paul have written it with mine own hand, I will repay it: albeit I do not say to thee how thou owest unto me even thine own self besides.

²⁰Yea, brother, let me have joy of thee in the Lord: refresh my bowels in the Lord.

²¹Having confidence in thy obedience I wrote unto thee, knowing that thou wilt also do more than I say.

²²But withal prepare me also a lodging: for I trust that through your prayers I shall be given unto you.

²³There salute thee Epaphras, my fellowprisoner in Christ Jesus;

²⁴Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, my fellowlabourers.

²⁵The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen. Written from Rome to Philemon, by Onesimus a servant.

Philemon 1

¹Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon our beloved and fellow-worker,

²and to Apphia our sister, and to Archippus our fellow-soldier, and to the church in thy house:

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

⁴I thank my God always, making mention of thee in my prayers,

⁵hearing of thy love, and of the faith which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all the saints;

⁶that the fellowship of thy faith may become effectual, in the knowledge of every good thing which is in you, unto Christ.

⁷For I had much joy and comfort in thy love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through thee, brother.

⁸Wherefore, though I have all boldness in Christ to enjoin thee that which is befitting,

⁹yet for love’s sake I rather beseech, being such a one as Paul the aged, and now a prisoner also of Christ Jesus:

¹⁰I beseech thee for my child, whom I have begotten in my bonds, Onesimus,

¹¹who once was unprofitable to thee, but now is profitable to thee and to me:

¹²whom I have sent back to thee in his own person, that is, my very heart:

¹³whom I would fain have kept with me, that in thy behalf he might minister unto me in the bonds of the gospel:

¹⁴but without thy mind I would do nothing; that thy goodness should not be as of necessity, but of free will.

¹⁵For perhaps he was therefore parted from thee for a season, that thou shouldest have him for ever;

¹⁶no longer as a servant, but more than a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much rather to thee, both in the flesh and in the Lord.

¹⁷If then thou countest me a partner, receive him as myself.

¹⁸But if he hath wronged thee at all, or oweth thee aught, put that to mine account;

¹⁹I Paul write it with mine own hand, I will repay it: that I say not unto thee that thou owest to me even thine own self besides.

²⁰Yea, brother, let me have joy of thee in the Lord: refresh my heart in Christ.

²¹Having confidence in thine obedience I write unto thee, knowing that thou wilt do even beyond what I say.

²²But withal prepare me also a lodging: for I hope that through your prayers I shall be granted unto you.

²³Epaphras, my fellow-prisoner in Christ Jesus, saluteth thee;

²⁴and so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow-workers.

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