Philemon 1

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Philemon

Greeting

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1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother: To Philemon our dear friend and coworker,

2 to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church that meets in your home.

3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother: To Philemon our dear friend and coworker,

2 to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church that meets in your home.

3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother: To Philemon our dear friend and coworker

2 to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church that meets in your home.

3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy our brother, unto Philemon our dearly beloved, and fellowlabourer,

2 And to our beloved Apphia, and Archippus our fellowsoldier, and to the church in thy house:

3 Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Philemon's Love and Faith

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4 I always thank my God when I mention you in my prayers

5 because I hear of your love and faith toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints.

6 I pray that your participation in the faith may become effective through knowing every good thing that is in us for the glory of Christ

7 For I have great joy and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.

4 I always thank my God when I pray for you, Philemon

5 because I keep hearing about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all of God’s people.

6 And I am praying that you will put into action the generosity that comes from your faith as you understand and experience all the good things we have in Christ.

7 Your love has given me much joy and comfort, my brother, for your kindness has often refreshed the hearts of God’s people.

4 I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers,

5 because I hear about your love for all his holy people and your faith in the Lord Jesus

6 I pray that your partnership with us in the faith may be effective in deepening your understanding of every good thing we share for the sake of Christ.

7 Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the Lord’s people.

4 I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers,

5 Hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints;

6 That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus

7 For we have great joy and consolation in thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother.

An Appeal for Onesimus

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8 For this reason, although I have great boldness in Christ to command you to do what is right

9 I appeal to you, instead, on the basis of love. I, Paul, as an elderly man and now also as a prisoner of Christ Jesus,

10 appeal to you for my son, Onesimus. I fathered him while I was in chains.

11 Once he was useless to you, but now he is useful both to you and to me.

12 I am sending him back to you as a part of myself.

13 I wanted to keep him with me, so that in my imprisonment for the gospel he might serve me in your place.

14 But I didn’t want to do anything without your consent, so that your good deed might not be out of obligation, but of your own free will.

15 For perhaps this is why he was separated from you for a brief time, so that you might get him back permanently,

16 no longer as a slave, but more than a slave—as a dearly loved brother. He is especially so to me, but even more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.

17 So if you consider me a partner, accept him as you would me.

18 And if he has wronged you in any way, or owes you anything, charge 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 me even your own self

20 Yes, brother, may I have joy from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ.

21 Since I am confident of your obedience, I am writing to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say.

22 But meanwhile, also prepare a guest room for me, for I hope that through your prayers I will be restored to you.

8 That is why I am boldly asking a favor of you. I could demand it in the name of Christ because it is the right thing for you to do.

9 But because of our love, I prefer simply to ask you. Consider this as a request from me—Paul, an old man and now also a prisoner for the sake of Christ Jesus.

10 I appeal to you to show kindness to my child, Onesimus. I became his father in the faith while here in prison.

11 Onesimus hasn’t been of much use to you in the past, but now he is very useful to both of us.

12 I am sending him back to you, and with him comes my own heart.

13 I wanted to keep him here with me while I am in these chains for preaching the Good News, and he would have helped me on your behalf.

14 But I didn’t want to do anything without your consent. I wanted you to help because you were willing, not because you were forced.

15 It seems you lost Onesimus for a little while so that you could have him back forever.

16 He is no longer like a slave to you. He is more than a slave, for he is a beloved brother, especially to me. Now he will mean much more to you, both as a man and as a brother in the Lord.

17 So if 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 it to me

19 I, PAUL, WRITE THIS WITH MY OWN HAND: I WILL REPAY IT. AND I WON’T MENTION THAT YOU OWE ME YOUR VERY SOUL!

20 Yes, my brother, please do me this favor for the Lord’s sake. Give me this encouragement in Christ.

21 I am confident as I write this letter that you will do what I ask and even more!

22 One more thing—please prepare a guest room for me, for I am hoping that God will answer your prayers and let me return to you soon.

8 Therefore, although in Christ I could be bold and order you to do what you ought to do,

9 yet I prefer to appeal to you on the basis of love. It is as none other than Paul—an old man and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus—

10 that I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, who became my son while I was in chains.

11 Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.

12 I am sending him—who is my very heart—back to you.

13 I would have liked to keep him with me so that he could take your place in helping me while I am in chains for the gospel.

14 But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that any favor you do would not seem forced but would be voluntary.

15 Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back forever—

16 no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother. He is very dear to me but even dearer to you, both as a fellow man and as a brother in the Lord.

17 So if you consider me a partner, welcome him as you would welcome me.

18 If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me.

19 I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand. I will pay it back—not to mention that you owe me your very self.

20 I do wish, brother, that I may have some benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ.

21 Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask.

22 And one thing more: Prepare a guest room for me, because I hope to be restored to you in answer to your prayers.

8 Wherefore, though I might be much bold in Christ to enjoin thee that which is convenient,

9 Yet for love's sake I rather beseech thee, being such an one as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ.

10 I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds:

11 Which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me:

12 Whom I have sent again: thou therefore receive him, that is, mine own bowels:

13 Whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel:

14 But without thy mind would I do nothing; that thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly.

15 For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him for ever;

16 Not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord?

17 If thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself.

18 If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account;

19 I Paul have written it with mine own hand, I will repay it: albeit I do not say to thee how thou owest unto me even thine own self besides.

20 Yea, brother, let me have joy of thee in the Lord: refresh my bowels in the Lord.

21 Having confidence in thy obedience I wrote unto thee, knowing that thou wilt also do more than I say.

22 But withal prepare me also a lodging: for I trust that through your prayers I shall be given unto you.

Final Greetings

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23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you, and so do

24 Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my coworkers.

25 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you his greetings.

24 So do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my co-workers.

25 May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you greetings.

24 And so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke, my fellow workers.

25 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

23 There salute thee Epaphras, my fellowprisoner in Christ Jesus;

24 Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, my fellowlabourers.

25 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

Study Notes

None

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