001:001 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,
to Philemon, our beloved fellow worker,
001:002 to the beloved Apphia, to Archippus, our fellow soldier,
and to the assembly in your house:
001:003 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
001:004 I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers,
001:005 hearing of your love, and of the faith which you have toward
the Lord Jesus, and toward all the saints;
001:006 that the fellowship of your faith may become effective,
in the knowledge of every good thing which is in us
in Christ Jesus.
001:007 For we have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts
of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.
001:008 Therefore, though I have all boldness in Christ to command
you that which is appropriate,
001:009 yet for love's sake I rather beg, being such a one as Paul,
the aged, but also a prisoner of Jesus Christ.
001:010 I beg you for my child, whom I have become the father of in
my chains, Onesimus,{Onesimus means "useful."}
001:011 who once was useless to you, but now is useful to you and to me.
001:012 I am sending him back. Therefore receive him, that is,
my own heart,
001:013 whom I desired to keep with me, that on your behalf he might
serve me in my chains for the Good News.
001:014 But I was willing to do nothing without your consent, that your
goodness would not be as of necessity, but of free will.
001:015 For perhaps he was therefore separated from you for a while,
that you would have him forever,
001:016 no 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.
001:017 If then you count me a partner, receive him as you would receive me.
001:018 But if he has wronged you at all, or owes you anything,
put that to my account.
001:019 I, 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).
001:020 Yes, brother, let me have joy from you in the Lord.
Refresh my heart in the Lord.
001:021 Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you,
knowing that you will do even beyond what I say.
001:022 Also, prepare a guest room for me, for I hope that through
your prayers I will be restored to you.
001:023 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you,
001:024 as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.
001:025 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.