1 Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our beloved fellow worker
1 Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy [our] brother, unto Philemon our dearly beloved, and fellowlabourer,
2 and Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow soldier, and the church in your house:
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.
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, making mention of thee always 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 faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all 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 communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.
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 we have great joy and consolation in thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother.
8 Accordingly, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do what is required,
8 Wherefore, though I might be much bold in Christ to enjoin thee that which is convenient,
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 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 appeal to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I have become in my imprisonment.
10 I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds:
11 (Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me.)
11 Which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me:
12 I am sending him back to you, sending my very heart.
12 Whom I have sent again: thou therefore receive him, that is, mine own bowels:
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 have retained with me, that in thy stead he might have ministered 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 would I do nothing; that thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly.
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 therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive 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 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 So if you consider me your partner, receive him as you would receive me.
17 If thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself.
18 If he has wronged you at all, or owes you anything, charge that to my account.
18 If he hath wronged thee, or oweth [thee] ought, put that on 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 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 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 bowels in the Lord.
21 Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say.
21 Having confidence in thy obedience I wrote unto thee, knowing that thou wilt also do more than 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 trust that through your prayers I shall be given unto you.
23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends greetings to you,
23 There salute thee Epaphras, my fellowprisoner in Christ Jesus;
24 and so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.
24 Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, my fellowlabourers.
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. <<[Written from Rome to Philemon, by Onesimus a servant.]>>