1•1Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and Timothy [our] brother,

To Philemon our beloved one and fellow worker •2and to Apphia [our] sister¹ and to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house:

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

•4I thank my God always when I make mention of you in my prayers, •5since I hear of your love and faith, which you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints. •6[I pray] that the sharing of your faith may become effective in the knowledge of every good thing that is in us² for Christ.³ •7For I⁴ had much joy and comfort from your love because the hearts⁵ of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.

•8That is why, although I have [so] much boldness in Christ to command you [to do] the proper thing, •9[yet] because of love I rather appeal [to you]—since I am such a one as Paul an old [man] and now also a prisoner for Christ Jesus—•10I appeal to you about my child, Onesimus, whose father I have become in my imprisonment. •11(He [was] once useless to you, but now [he is] useful⁶ both⁷ to you and to me.) •12I have sent him back to you, [yes], him,⁸ this one who is my [very] heart.⁵ •13I was wanting to keep him with me, so that on your behalf he might be serving me in [my] imprisonment for the gospel. •14But without your consent I wished to do nothing, so that your goodness might not be as a result of necessity but as a result of a voluntary act.

•15For perhaps he was separated from you for an hour for this [reason]: so that you might have him back eternally—•16no 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.

•17Therefore, if you consider me as a partner, receive him as [you would] me. •18And if he has wronged you [in] anything, or owes [you anything], charge this to my account. •19I, Paul, have

Philemon

written with my [own] hand, I will pay the damages, so that I might not say to you that you even owe yourself to me. •20Yes, brother, I [would have some] benefit from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart⁵ in Christ.⁹

•21Since I have confidence in your obedience, I have written to you, knowing that you will do even more than what I say. •22But at the same time also, start preparing a guest room for me, for I am hoping that through †your prayers I shall be granted to †you.

•23Epaphras, my fellow captive in Christ Jesus, greets you, •24[and so do] Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, [and] Luke, my fellow workers.

•25The grace of the¹⁰ Lord Jesus Christ [be] with †your spirit.¹¹