1 Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our beloved fellow worker
1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon our beloved and fellow-worker,
2 and Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow soldier, and the church in your house:
2 and to Apphia our sister, and to Archippus our fellow-soldier, and to the church in thy house:
3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
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,
4 I thank my God always, making mention of thee in my prayers,
5 because I hear of your love and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and all the saints,
5 hearing of thy love, and of the faith which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all the saints;
6 and I pray that the sharing of your faith may promote the knowledge of all the good that is ours in Christ.
6 that the fellowship of thy faith may become effectual, in the knowledge of every good thing which is in you, unto Christ.
7 For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you.
7 For I had much joy and comfort in thy love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through thee, brother.
8 Accordingly, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do what is required,
8 Wherefore, though I have all boldness in Christ to enjoin thee that which is befitting,
9 yet for loves sake I prefer to appeal to you -- I, Paul, an ambassador and now a prisoner also for Christ Jesus --
9 yet for loves sake I rather beseech, being such a one as Paul the aged, and now a prisoner also of Christ Jesus:
10 I appeal to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I have become in my imprisonment.
10 I beseech thee for my child, whom I have begotten in my bonds, Onesimus,
11 (Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me.)
11 who once was unprofitable to thee, but now is profitable to thee and to me:
12 I am sending him back to you, sending my very heart.
12 whom I have sent back to thee in his own person, that is, my very heart:
13 I would have been glad to keep him with me, in order that he might serve me on your behalf during my imprisonment for the gospel;
13 whom I would fain have kept with me, that in thy behalf he might minister unto me in the bonds of 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 free will.
14 but without thy mind I would do nothing; that thy goodness should not be as of necessity, but of free will.
15 Perhaps this is why he was parted from you for a while, that you might have him back for ever,
15 For perhaps he was therefore parted (from thee) for a season, that thou shouldest have him for ever;
16 no longer as a slave but more than a slave, as a beloved brother, especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.
16 no longer as a servant, but more than a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much rather to thee, both in the flesh and in the Lord.
17 So if you consider me your partner, receive him as you would receive me.
17 If then thou countest me a partner, receive him as myself.
18 If he has wronged you at all, or owes you anything, charge that to my account.
18 But if he hath wronged the at all, or oweth (thee) aught, put that to mine account;
19 I, Paul, write this with my own hand, I will repay it -- to say nothing of your owing me even your own self.
19 I Paul write it with mine own hand, I will repay it: that I say not unto thee that thou owest to me even thine own self besides.
20 Yes, brother, I want some benefit from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ.
20 Yea, brother, let me have joy of thee 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 say.
21 Having confidence in thine obedience I write unto thee, knowing that thou wilt do even beyond what I say.
22 At the same time, prepare a guest room for me, for I am hoping through your prayers to be granted to you.
22 But withal prepare me also a lodging: for I hope that through your prayers I shall be granted unto you.
23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends greetings to you,
23 Epaphras, my fellow-prisoner in Christ Jesus, saluteth thee;
24 and so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.
24 (and so do) Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow-workers.
25 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.
25 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.