1 Greeting Paul, a Eph. 3:1 prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our beloved friend and fellow laborer,
2 to the beloved Apphia, Col. 4:17 Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house:
3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
4 Philemon’s Love and Faith Eph. 1:16;1 Thess. 1:2;2 Thess. 1:3 I thank my God, making mention of you always in my prayers,
5 Eph. 1:15; Col. 1:4;1 Thess. 3:6 hearing of your love and faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints,
6 that the sharing of your faith may become effective Phil. 1:9; (Col. 1:9; 3:10; James 2:14–17) by the acknowledgment of (1 Thess. 5:18) every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.
7 For we have great joy and consolation in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother.
8 The Plea for Onesimus Therefore, though I might be very bold in Christ to command you what is fitting,
9 yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you —being such a one as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ—
10 I appeal to you for my son Col. 4:9 Onesimus, whom I have begotten while in my chains,
11 who once was unprofitable to you, but now is profitable to you and to me.
12 I am sending him back. You therefore receive him, that is, my own heart,
13 whom I wished to keep with me, that on your behalf he might minister to me in my chains for the gospel.
14 But without your consent I wanted to do nothing, 2 Cor. 9:7;1 Pet. 5:2 that your good deed might not be by compulsion, as it were, but voluntary.
15 For perhaps he departed for a while for this purpose, that you might receive him forever,
16 no longer as a slave but more than a slave—a beloved brother, especially to me but how much more to you, both in the Eph. 6:5; Col. 3:22 flesh and in the Lord.
17 Philemon’s Obedience Encouraged If then you count me as a partner, receive him as you would me.
18 But if he has wronged you or owes anything, put that on my account.
19 I, Paul, am writing with my own 1 Cor. 16:21; Gal. 6:11;2 Thess. 3:17 hand. I will repay—not to mention to you that you owe me even your own self besides.
20 Yes, brother, let me have joy from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in the Lord.
21 2 Cor. 7:16 Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say.
22 But, meanwhile, also prepare a guest room for me, for Phil. 1:25; 2:24 I trust that 2 Cor. 1:11 through your prayers I shall be granted to you.
23 Farewell Col. 1:7; 4:12 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you,
24 as do Acts 12:12, 25; 15:37–39; Col. 4:10 Mark, Acts 19:29; 27:2; Col. 4:10 Aristarchus, Col. 4:14;2 Tim. 4:10 Demas, 2 Tim. 4:11 Luke, my fellow laborers.
25 2 Tim. 4:22 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.