Philemon (The Epistle of Paul to )

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

and to Apphia the beloved, and to Archippus our fellow-soldier, and to the church in your house:

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

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

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

so that the fellowship of your faith may operate in a full knowledge of every good thing in you for Jesus Christ.

For we have much joy and encouragement over your love, in that the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.

Because of this, having much boldness in Christ to enjoin you [to do] what [is] becoming,

rather because of love I entreat, being such a one as Paul [the] aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ;

I entreat you concerning my child Onesimus, whom I fathered in my bonds,

the [one] once worthless to you, but now useful to you and to me; whom I sent back to you.

Even receive him, that is, my heart;

Whom I resolved to hold with myself, that for you he minister to me in the bonds of the gospel.

But I was willing to do nothing without your consent, that your good might not be by way of necessity, but by way of willingness.

For perhaps for this he was separated for an hour, that you might receive him eternally;

no longer as a slave, but beyond a slave, a beloved brother, especially to me, and how much more to you, both in [the] flesh and in the Lord.

Then if you have me as a partner, receive him as me.

And if he wronged you [in] anything, or owes, reckon this to me.

I, Paul, wrote with my hand; I will repay (that I not say to you that you even owe yourself to me also).

Yes, brother, [that] I may have your help in [the] Lord, refresh my heart in [the] Lord.

Trusting to your obedience, I wrote to you, knowing that you will do even beyond what I say.

Epaphras, my fellow-captive in Christ Jesus, greets you, [also] my fellow-workers Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, [and] Luke.

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