Salutation
1
Philemon 1:1
Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,
2 Philemon 1:2 and to Apphia our sister, and to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house:
3 Philemon 1:3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Philemon’s Love and Faith
4 Philemon 1:4 I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers,
5 Philemon 1:5 because I hear of your love and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints;
6 Philemon 1:6 and I pray that the fellowship of your faith may become effective through the knowledge of every good thing which is in you for Christ’s sake.
7 Philemon 1:7 For I have come to have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.
8 Philemon 1:8 Therefore, though I have enough confidence in Christ to order you to do what is proper,
9 Philemon 1:9 yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you—since I am such a person as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus—
Plea for Onesimus, a Free Man
10 Philemon 1:10 I appeal to you for my child Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my imprisonment,
11 Philemon 1:11 who formerly was useless to you, but now is useful both to you and to me.
12 Philemon 1:12 I have sent him back to you in person, that is, sending my very heart,
13 Philemon 1:13 whom I wished to keep with me, so that on your behalf he might minister to me in my imprisonment for the gospel;
14 Philemon 1:14 but without your consent I did not want to do anything, so that your goodness would not be, in effect, by compulsion but of your own free will.
15 Philemon 1:15 For perhaps he was for this reason separated from you for a while, that you would have him back forever,
16 Philemon 1:16 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 Philemon 1:17 If then you regard me a partner, accept him as you would me.
18 Philemon 1:18 But if he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge that to my account;
19 Philemon 1:19 I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand, I will repay it (not to mention to you that you owe to me even your own self as well).
20 Philemon 1:20 Yes, brother, let me benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ.
21 Philemon 1:21 Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, since I know that you will do even more than what I say.
22 Philemon 1:22 At the same time also prepare me a lodging, for I hope that through your prayers I will be given to you.
23 Philemon 1:23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you,
24 Philemon 1:24 as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow workers.
25 Philemon 1:25 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.