Philemon 1:1 ←
Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon, our beloved fellow worker,
Philemon 1:2 ←
to the beloved Apphia, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the assembly in your house:
Philemon 1:3 ←
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Philemon 1:4 ←
I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers,
Philemon 1:5 ←
hearing of your love and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints,
Philemon 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.
Philemon 1:7 ←
For we have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.
Philemon 1:8 ←
Therefore though I have all boldness in Christ to command you that which is appropriate,
Philemon 1:9 ←
yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you, being such a one as Paul, the aged, but also a prisoner of Jesus Christ.
Philemon 1:10 ←
I appeal to you for my child Onesimus, whom I have become the father of in my chains,
Philemon 1:11 ←
who once was useless to you, but now is useful to you and to me.
Philemon 1:12 ←
I am sending him back. Therefore receive him, that is, my own heart,
Philemon 1:13 ←
whom I desired to keep with me, that on your behalf he might serve me in my chains for the Good News.
Philemon 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.
Philemon 1:15 ←
For perhaps he was therefore separated from you for a while that you would have him forever,
Philemon 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.
Philemon 1:17 ←
If then you count me a partner, receive him as you would receive me.
Philemon 1:18 ←
But if he has wronged you at all or owes you anything, put that to my account.
Philemon 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).
Philemon 1:20 ←
Yes, brother, let me have joy from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in the Lord.
Philemon 1:21 ←
Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even beyond what I say.
Philemon 1:22 ←
Also, prepare a guest room for me, for I hope that through your prayers I will be restored to you.
Philemon 1:23 ←
Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you,
Philemon 1:24 ←
as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.
Philemon 1:25 ←
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
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