1:1
From Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus and from our brother Timothy; to our dear fellow worker Philemon,
1:2
our sister Apphia, our fellow soldier Archippus and the church that meets in your house.
1:3
Grace and the peace of God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
1:4
I always thank my God, mentioning you in my prayers,
1:5
because I hear of the love and the faith which you have for the Lord Jesus and for all God's holy people.
1:6
I pray that your fellowship in faith may come to expression in full knowledge of all the good we can do for Christ.
1:7
I have received much joy and encouragement by your love; you have set the hearts of God's holy people at rest.
1:8
Therefore, although in Christ I have no hesitations about telling you what your duty is,
1:9
I am rather appealing to your love, being what I am, Paul, an old man, and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus.
1:10
I am appealing to you for a child of mine, whose father I became while wearing these chains: I mean Onesimus.
1:11
He was of no use to you before, but now he is useful both to you and to me.
1:12
I am sending him back to you -- that is to say, sending you my own heart.
1:13
I should have liked to keep him with me; he could have been a substitute for you, to help me while I am in the chains that the gospel has brought me.
1:14
However, I did not want to do anything without your consent; it would have been forcing your act of kindness, which should be spontaneous.
1:15
I suppose you have been deprived of Onesimus for a time, merely so that you could have him back for ever,
1:16
no longer as a slave, but something much better than a slave, a dear brother; especially dear to me, but how much more to you, both on the natural plane and in the Lord.
1:17
So if you grant me any fellowship with yourself, welcome him as you would me;
1:18
if he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, put it down to my account.
1:19
I am writing this in my own hand: I, Paul, shall pay it back -- I make no mention of a further debt, that you owe your very self to me!
1:20
Well then, brother, I am counting on you, in the Lord; set my heart at rest, in Christ.
1:21
I am writing with complete confidence in your compliance, sure that you will do even more than I ask.
1:22
There is another thing: will you get a place ready for me to stay in? I am hoping through your prayers to be restored to you.
1:23
Epaphras, a prisoner with me in Christ Jesus, sends his greetings;
1:24
so do my fellow-workers Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke.
1:25
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.
Previous
Next