| 1 | Philemon | ||
| 1 | FROM PAUL, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and our colleague Timothy, to Philemon our dear friend and fellow-worker, | Salutation Phm.1.1-3 | |
| 2 | and Apphia our sister, and Archippus our comrade-in-arms, and the congregation at your house. | ||
| 3 | Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. | ||
| 4 | I thank my God always when I mention you in my prayers, | Philemon's Love and Faith Phm.1.4-7 | |
| 5 | for I hear of your love and faith towards the Lord Jesus and towards all God's people. | ||
| 6 | My prayer is that your fellowship with us in our common faith may deepen the understanding of all the blessings that our union with Christ brings us. | ||
| 7 | For I am delighted and encouraged by your love: through you, my brother. God's people have been much refreshed. | ||
| 8 | Accordingly, although in Christ I might make bold to point out your duty, | Paul Pleads for Onesimus Phm.1.8-22 | |
| 9 | yet, because of that same love, I would rather appeal to you. Yes, I, Paul, ambassador as I am of Christ Jesus—and now his prisoner— | ||
| 10 | appeal to you about my child, whose father I have become in this prison. | ||
| 11 | I mean Onesimus, once so little use to you, but now useful indeed, both to you and to me. | ||
| 12 | I am sending him back to you, and in doing so I am sending a part of myself. | ||
| 13 | I should have liked to keep him with me, to look after me as you would wish, here in prison for the Gospel. | ||
| 14 | But I would rather do nothing without your consent, so that your kindness may be a matter not of compulsion, but of your own free will. | ||
| 15 | For perhaps this is why you lost him for a time, that you might have him back for good, | ||
| 16 | no longer as a slave, but as more than a slave—as a dear brother, very dear indeed to me and how much dearer to you, both as man and as Christian. | ||
| 17 | If, then, you count me partner in the faith, welcome him as you would welcome me. | ||
| 18 | And if he has done you any wrong or is in your debt, put that down to my account. | ||
| 19 | Here is my signature, PAUL; I undertake to repay—not to mention that you owe your very self to me as well. | ||
| 20 | Now brother, as a Christian, be generous with me, and relieve my anxiety; we are both in Christ! | ||
| 21 | I write to you confident that you will meet my wishes; I know that you will in fact do better than I ask. | ||
| 22 | And one thing more: have a room ready for me, for I hope that, in answer to your prayers, God will grant me to you. | ||
| 23 | Epaphras, Christ's captive like myself, sends you greetings. | Final Greetings Phm.1.23-3.25 | |
| 24 | So do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow-workers. | ||
| 25 | The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit! | ||
| | Philem:1 | | |||
|---|---|---|---|