Philemon 1:1 ←
Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon, our dear helper in the faith,
Philemon 1:2 ←
And to Apphia, our sister, and to Archippus, our brother in God's army, and to the church in your house:
Philemon 1:3 ←
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Philemon 1:4 ←
I give praise to God at all times and make prayer for you,
Philemon 1:5 ←
Hearing of the love and the faith which you have to the Lord Jesus and to all the saints;
Philemon 1:6 ←
That the faith which you have in common with them may be working with power, in the knowledge of every good thing in you, for Christ.
Philemon 1:7 ←
For I had great joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been made strong again through you, brother.
Philemon 1:8 ←
And so, though I might, in the name of Christ, give you orders to do what is right,
Philemon 1:9 ←
Still, because of love, in place of an order, I make a request to you, I, Paul, an old man and now a prisoner of Christ Jesus:
Philemon 1:10 ←
My request is for my child Onesimus, the child of my chains,
Philemon 1:11 ←
Who in the past was of no profit to you, but now is of profit to you and to me:
Philemon 1:12 ←
Whom I have sent back to you, him who is my very heart:
Philemon 1:13 ←
Though my desire was to keep him with me, to be my servant in the chains of the good news, in your place:
Philemon 1:14 ←
But without your approval I would do nothing; so that your good works might not be forced, but done freely from your heart.
Philemon 1:15 ←
For it is possible that for this reason he was parted from you for a time, so that you might have him for ever;
Philemon 1:16 ←
No longer as a servant, but more than a servant, a brother, very dear to me specially, but much more to you, in the flesh as well as in the Lord.
Philemon 1:17 ←
If then you take me to be your friend and brother, take him in as myself.
Philemon 1:18 ←
If he has done you any wrong or is in debt to you for anything, put it to my account.
Philemon 1:19 ←
I, Paul, writing this myself, say, I will make payment to you: and I do not say to you that you are in debt to me even for your life.
Philemon 1:20 ←
So brother, let me have joy of you in the Lord: give new life to my heart in Christ.
Philemon 1:21 ←
Being certain that you will do my desire, I am writing to you, in the knowledge that you will do even more than I say.
Philemon 1:22 ←
And make a room ready for me; for I am hoping that through your prayers I will be given to you.
Philemon 1:23 ←
Epaphras, my brother-prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you his love;
Philemon 1:24 ←
And so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my brother-workers.
Philemon 1:25 ←
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. So be it.
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