Philemon 1

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

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

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

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

⁵hearing of your love, and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all the saints;

⁶that the fellowship of your faith may become effective, in the knowledge of every good thing which is in us in Christ.

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

⁸Therefore, though I have all boldness in Christ to command you that which is appropriate,

⁹yet for love's sake I rather beg, being such a one as Paul, the aged, but also a prisoner of Jesus Christ.

¹⁰I beg you for my child, whom I have become the father of in my chains, Onesimus,

¹¹who once was useless to you, but now is useful to you and to me.

¹²I am sending back to you, him who is my very heart,

¹³whom I desired to keep with me, that on your behalf he might serve me in my chains for the Good News.

¹⁴But I was willing to do nothing without your consent, that your goodness would not be as of necessity, but of free will.

¹⁵For perhaps he was therefore separated from you for a while, that you would have him forever,

¹⁶no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother, especially to me, but how much rather to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.

¹⁷If then you count me a partner, receive him as you would receive me.

¹⁸But if he has wronged you at all, or owes you anything, put that to my account.

¹⁹I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it (not to mention to you that you owe to me even your own self besides).

²⁰Yes, brother, let me have joy from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ.

²¹Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even beyond what I say.

²²Also, prepare a guest room for me, for I hope that through your prayers I will be restored to you.

²³Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you,

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

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

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.