Paul’s Letter to Philemon
1
1 Paul,
a prisoner of
Christ
Jesus, and Timothy
our brother, to
Philemon, our beloved
fellow worker,
2 to
the beloved Apphia, to Archippus
our fellow soldier,
and to the
assembly in your
house:
3 Grace
to you and
peace from God
our Father and
the Lord Jesus
Christ.
4 I
thank my God
always, making
mention of you
in my prayers,
5 hearing of
your love and of
the faith which
you have toward
the Lord Jesus
and toward all
the saints,
6 that
the fellowship of
your faith may
become effective
in the knowledge
of every good
thing which is
in us in
Christ Jesus.
7 For
we have much
joy and comfort
in your love,
because the hearts
of the saints have
been refreshed through
you, brother.
8 Therefore
though I have
all boldness in
Christ to command
you that which
is appropriate,
9 yet
for love’s sake I
rather appeal to
you, being such
a one as
Paul, the aged,
but also a
prisoner of Jesus
Christ.
10 I
appeal to you
for my child
Onesimus, whom I
have become the
father of in
my chains,
11 who
once was useless
to you, but
now is useful
to you and
to me.
12 I
am sending him back. Therefore
receive him, that
is, my own
heart,
13 whom
I desired to keep
with me, that
on your behalf
he might serve
me in my
chains for the
Good News.
14 But
I was willing
to do nothing
without your
consent, that
your goodness would
not be as
of necessity, but
of free will.
15 For
perhaps he was
therefore separated
from you for
a while that
you would have him
forever,
16 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.
17 If
then you count
me a partner,
receive him as
you would receive
me.
18 But
if he has wronged
you at all
or owes you
anything, put that
to my account.
19 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).
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 beyond
what I say.
22 Also,
prepare a guest room
for me, for
I hope that
through your
prayers I will
be restored to you.
23 Epaphras,
my fellow prisoner
in Christ Jesus,
greets you,
24 as
do Mark, Aristarchus,
Demas, and Luke,
my fellow workers.
25 The
grace of our
Lord Jesus Christ
be with your
spirit. Amen.