Philemon
Philemon’s Love and Faith
1aPaul, ba prisoner of cChrist Jesus, and dTimothy 1our brother, To Philemon our beloved brother and efellow worker, 2and to Apphia 1,aour sister, and to bArchippus our cfellow soldier, and to dthe church in your house: 3aGrace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
4aI thank my God, always making mention of you in my prayers, 5because I ahear of your love and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the 1saints; 6and I pray that the fellowship of your faith may become effective 1through the afull knowledge of every good thing which is in you 2for the sake of Christ. 7For I have come to have much ajoy and comfort in your love, because the 1hearts of the 2saints have been brefreshed through you, brother.
8Therefore, athough I have much boldness in Christ to command you to do what is bproper, 9yet for love’s sake I rather aplead with you—since I am such a person as Paul, 1the baged, and now also ca prisoner of dChrist Jesus—
Plea for Onesimus
10I aplead with you for my bchild 1,cOnesimus, of whom I became a 2father in my chains, 11who formerly was useless to you, but now is useful both to you and to me. 12I have sent him back to you in person, that is, my very heart, 13whom I intended to keep with me, so that on your behalf he might minister to me in my achains for the gospel, 14but without your consent I did not want to do anything, so that your goodness would anot be, in effect, by compulsion but voluntary. 15For perhaps ahe was for this reason separated from you for a while, that you would have him back forever, 16ano longer as a slave, but more than a slave, ba beloved brother, especially to me, but how much more to you, both cin the flesh and in the Lord.
17If then you regard me a apartner, accept him as you would accept me. 18But if he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge that to my account. 19aI, Paul, am writing this with my own hand, I will repay it (bnot to 1mention to you that you owe to me even your own self as well). 20Yes, brother, let me benefit from you in the Lord. aRefresh my heart in Christ!
21aHaving confidence in your obedience, I write to you, since I know that you will do even more than what I say.
22And at the same time also prepare me a alodging, for bI hope that through cyour prayers dI will be graciously given to you.