New Testament

Philemon — Chapter 1

  1. Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker,
  2. and to Apphia our sister, and to 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 always when I remember you in my prayers,
  5. because I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and all the saints,
  6. and I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective when you perceive all the good that we may do for Christ.
  7. I have indeed received much joy and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, my brother.
  8. For this reason, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do your duty,
  9. yet I would rather appeal to you on the basis of love—and I, Paul, do this as an old man, and now also as a prisoner of Christ Jesus.
  10. I am appealing to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I have become during my imprisonment.
  11. Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful both to you and to me.
  12. I am sending him back to you, sending my very heart.
  13. I would have been glad to keep him with me, so that he might be of service to me in your place during my imprisonment for the gospel,
  14. but I preferred to do nothing without your consent, in order that your goodness might not be by compulsion but of your own accord.
  15. For this perhaps is why he was separated from you for a while, so that you might have him back 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 consider me your partner, welcome him as you would welcome me.
  18. If he has wronged you in any way, or owes you anything, charge that to my account.
  19. I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand: I will repay it.
  20. I say nothing about your owing me even your own self.
  21. Yes, brother, let me have this benefit from you in the Lord! Refresh my heart in Christ.
  22. Confident of your obedience, I am writing to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say.
  23. At the same time, prepare a guest room for me, for I hope that through your prayers I will be granted to you.
  24. Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends greetings to you,
  25. and so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.
  26. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.