11Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our beloved fellow worker,+2to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church that meets at your house:+3Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.+
Philemon’s Faith and Love
4I always thank my God, remembering you in my prayers,+5because I hear about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints.+6I pray that your partnership in the faith may become effective as you fully acknowledge every good thing that is ours in Christ.+7I take great joy and encouragement in your love, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints.+
Paul’s Appeal for Onesimus
8So although in Christ I am bold enough to order you to do what is proper,+9I prefer to appeal on the basis of love. For I, Paul, am now aged, and a prisoner of Christ Jesus as well.+10I appeal to you for my child Onesimus, whose father I became while I was in chains.+11Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.+12I am sending back to you him who is my very heart.+13I would have liked to keep him with me, so that on your behalf he could minister to me in my chains for the gospel.+14But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that your goodness will not be out of compulsion, but by your own free will.+15For perhaps this is why he was separated from you for a while, so that you might have him back for good —+16no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a beloved brother. He is especially beloved to me, but even more so to you, both in person and in the Lord.+17So if you consider me a partner, receive him as you would receive me.+18But if he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge it to my account.+19I, Paul, write this with my own hand. I will repay it— not to mention that you owe me your very self.+20Yes, brother, let me have some benefit from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ.+21Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask.+22In the meantime, prepare a guest room for me, because I hope that through your prayers I will be restored to you.+
Additional Greetings
23Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you greetings,+24as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.+25The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.+Footnotes (4)
a1:2 You and Your are singular throughout this letter, except in verses 3, 22, and 25.
b1:10 Onesimus means useful (see verse 11) or beneficial (see verse 20).
c1:20 Greek onaimēn, a play on the name Onesimus
d1:25 BYZ and TR include Amen.
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