To Philemon
Outline of Contents
Greetings (1-3)
Philemon’s love and faith (4-7)
Paul’s appeal for Onesimus (8-22)
Final greetings (23-25)
1 Paul, a prisoner for the sake of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon our beloved fellow worker, 2 and to Apphia our sister, and to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the congregation that is in your house:
3 May you have undeserved kindness and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
4 I always thank my God when I mention you in my prayers, 5 as I keep hearing of your faith and the love that you have for the Lord Jesus and for all the holy ones. 6 I pray that your sharing in the faith may move you to acknowledge every good thing that we have through Christ. 7 For I received much joy and comfort on hearing of your love, because the hearts of the holy ones have been refreshed through you, brother.
8 For this very reason, though I have great freeness of speech in connection with Christ to order you to do what is proper, 9 I would rather appeal to you on the basis of love, seeing that I am Paul an older man, yes, now also a prisoner for the sake of Christ Jesus. 10 I am appealing to you for my child, whose father I became while in prison, Onesimus. 11 He was formerly useless to you, but now he is useful to you and to me. 12 I am sending him back to you, yes him, my very own heart.
13 I would like to keep him here for myself so that he might take your place in ministering to me during my imprisonment for the sake of the good news. 14 But I do not want to do anything without your consent, so that your good deed may be done, not under compulsion, but of your own free will. 15 Perhaps this is really why he broke away for a short while, so that you may have him back forever, 16 no longer as a slave, but as more than a slave, as a brother who is beloved, especially so to me, but how much more so to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord. 17 So if you consider me a friend, receive him kindly the same way you would me. 18 Moreover, if he did you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to my account. 19 I, Paul, am writing with my own hand: I will pay it back—not to mention that you owe me even your own self. 20 Yes, brother, may I receive this assistance from you in connection with the Lord; refresh my heart in connection with Christ.
21 I am confident that you will comply, so I am writing you, knowing that you will do even more than what I say. 22 But along with that, also prepare a place for me to stay, for I am hoping that through your prayers I will be given back to you.
23 Sending you greetings is Epaphras, my fellow captive in union with Christ Jesus, 24 also Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.
25 The undeserved kindness of the Lord Jesus Christ be with the spirit you show.