1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our beloved friend and fellow laborer, |
2 to the beloved Apphia, Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house: |
3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. |
4 I thank my God, making mention of you always in my prayers, |
5 hearing of your love and faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints, |
6 that the sharing of your faith may become effective by the acknowledgment of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus. |
7 For we have great joy and consolation in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother. |
8 Therefore, though I might be very bold in Christ to command you what is fitting, |
9 yet for love's sake I rather appeal to you--being such a one as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ-- |
10 I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten while in my chains, |
11 who once was unprofitable to you, but now is profitable to you and to me. |
12 I am sending him back. You therefore receive him, that is, my own heart, |
13 whom I wished to keep with me, that on your behalf he might minister to me in my chains for the gospel. |
14 But without your consent I wanted to do nothing, that your good deed might not be by compulsion, as it were, but voluntary. |
15 For perhaps he departed for a while for this purpose, that you might receive him forever, |
16 no longer as a slave but more than a slave--a beloved brother, especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord. |
17 If then you count me as a partner, receive him as you would me. |
18 But if he has wronged you or owes anything, put that on my account. |
19 I, Paul, am writing with my own hand. I will repay--not to mention to you that you owe me even your own self besides. |
20 Yes, brother, let me have joy from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in the Lord. |
21 Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say. |
22 But, meanwhile, also prepare a guest room for me, for I trust that through your prayers I shall be granted to you. |
23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you, |
24 as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow laborers. |
25 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen. |