Philemon Chapter 1{1:1} Paul, a prisoner of
Christ Jesus, and Timothy our
brother, to Philemon, our beloved fellow worker,
{1:2} to the beloved
Apphia, to
Archippus, our fellow soldier, and to the assembly in your house:
{1:3}
Grace to you and peace from God our
Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
{1:4} I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers,
{1:5} hearing of your love, and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all the saints;
{1:6} that the
fellowship of your faith may become effective, in the knowledge of every good thing which is in us in Christ Jesus.
{1:7} For we have much joy and comfort in your love, because the
hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.
{1:8} Therefore though I have all boldness in Christ to command you that which is appropriate,
{1:9} yet for love's sake I rather beg, being such a one as Paul, the aged, but also a prisoner of Jesus Christ.
{1:10} I beg you for my child, whom I have become the father of in my
chains,
Onesimus, {1:11} who once was useless to you, but now is useful to you and to me.
{1:12} I am sending him back. Therefore receive him, that is, my own heart,
{1:13} whom I desired to keep with me, that on your behalf he might serve me in my chains for the Good News.
{1:14} But I was willing to do nothing without your consent, that your goodness would not be as of necessity, but of free will.
{1:15} For perhaps he was therefore separated from you for a while, that you would have him forever,
{1:16} no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother, especially to me, but how much rather to you, both in the
flesh and in the Lord.
{1:17} If then you count me a partner, receive him as you would receive me.
{1:18} But if he has wronged you at all, or owes you anything, put that to my account.
{1:19} I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it (not to mention to you that you owe to me even your own self besides).
{1:20} Yes, brother, let me have joy from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in the Lord.
{1:21} Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even beyond what I say.
{1:22} Also, prepare a guest room for me, for I
hope that through your prayers I will be restored to you.
{1:23}
Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you,
{1:24} as do
Mark,
Aristarchus,
Demas, and
Luke, my fellow workers.
{1:25} The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.
Amen.
Philemon Chapter 1