Philemon 1

Greetings from Paul and Timothy

(Philippians 1:1–2; Colossians 1:1–2)

1PaulG3972, a prisonerG1198 of ChristG5547 JesusG2424, andG2532 TimothyG5095 our brotherG80,

To PhilemonG5371 ourG1473 belovedG27 fellow workerG4904, 2to ApphiaG682 ourG3588 sisterG79, to ArchippusG751 ourG1473 fellow soldierG4961, andG2532 to theG3588 churchG1577 that meets atG2596 yourG47711 houseG3624:

3GraceG5485 andG2532 peaceG1515 to youG4771 fromG575 GodG2316 ourG1473 FatherG3962 andG2532 the LordG2962 JesusG2424 ChristG5547.

Philemon’s Faith and Love

4I always thankG2168G3842 myG1473 GodG2316, rememberingG4160G3417 youG4771 inG1909 myG1473 prayersG4335, 5because I hear aboutG191 yourG2192 faithG4102 inG4314 theG3588 LordG2962 JesusG2424 andG2532 yourG4771 loveG26 forG1519 allG3956 theG3588 saintsG40. 6I pray thatG3704 yourG4771 partnershipG2842 in theG3588 faithG4102 may becomeG1096 effectiveG1756 asG1722 you fully acknowledgeG1922 everyG3956 goodG18 thing thatG3588 is oursG1722G1473 inG1519 ChristG5547. 7I takeG2192 greatG4183 joyG5479 andG2532 encouragementG3874 inG1909 yourG4771 loveG26, becauseG3754 youG4771, brotherG80, have refreshedG373 theG3588 heartsG4698 of theG3588 saintsG40.

Paul’s Appeal for Onesimus

8SoG1352 although inG1722 ChristG5547 I amG2192 boldG3954 enoughG4183 to orderG2004 youG4771 to do whatG3588 is properG433, 9I prefer to appealG3123G3870 on the basis ofG1223 loveG26. For IG5108, PaulG3972, amG1510 nowG3570 agedG4246, andG1161 a prisonerG1198 of ChristG5547 JesusG2424 as wellG2532.

10I appealG3870 to youG4771 forG4012 myG1699 childG5043 OnesimusG3682,2 whoseG3739 father I becameG1080 while I was inG1722 chainsG1199. 11FormerlyG4218 he was uselessG890 to youG4771, butG1161 nowG3570 he has become usefulG2173 bothG2532 to youG4771 andG2532 to meG1473. 12I am sending backG3739G375 to youG4771 himG846 whoG3778 isG1510 myG1699 very heartG4698.

13IG1473 would have likedG1014 to keepG2722 him withG4314 meG1683, so thatG2443 on your behalfG5228G4771 he could minister toG1247 meG1473 inG1722 my chainsG1199 for theG3588 gospelG2098. 14ButG1161 I did not wantG2309 to doG4160 anything withoutG5565 yourG4674 consentG1106, so thatG2443 yourG4771 goodnessG18 will not beG1510G3361 out ofG5613G2596 compulsionG318, butG235 byG2596 your own free willG1595. 15ForG1063 perhapsG5029 this is whyG1223G3778 he was separatedG5563 from you forG4314 a whileG5610, so thatG2443 you might have him backG568G846 for goodG166— 16no longerG3765 asG5613 a slaveG1401, butG235 better thanG5228 a slaveG1401, as a belovedG27 brotherG80. He is especiallyG3122 beloved to meG1473, butG1161 even more soG4214G3123 to youG4771, bothG2532 inG1722 personG4561 andG2532 inG1722 the LordG2962.

17SoG3767 ifG1487 you considerG2192 meG1473 a partnerG2844, receiveG4355 himG846 asG5613 you would receive meG1473. 18ButG1161 ifG1487 he has wrongedG91 youG4771 in any wayG5100 orG2228 owesG3784 you anything, charge it to my accountG3778G1473G1677. 19IG1473, PaulG3972, writeG1125 this withG3588 my ownG1699 handG5495. IG1473 will repayG661 it—notG3361 toG2443 mentionG3004 thatG3754 you oweG4359 meG1473 your very selfG2532G4572.

20YesG3483, brotherG80, let me have some benefitG1473G36853 from youG4771 inG1722 the LordG2962. RefreshG373 myG1473 heartG4698 inG1722 ChristG5547.

21Confident ofG3982 yourG4771 obedienceG5218, I writeG1125 to youG4771, knowingG1492 thatG3754 you will doG4160 evenG2532 moreG5228 thanG3739 I askG3004.

22In the meantimeG1161G260, prepareG2090 a guest roomG3578 for meG1473, becauseG1063 I hopeG1679 thatG3754 throughG1223 yourG4771 prayersG4335 I will be restoredG5483 to youG4771.

Additional Greetings

23EpaphrasG1889, myG1473 fellow prisonerG4869 inG1722 ChristG5547 JesusG2424, sends you greetingsG782G4771, 24as do MarkG3138, AristarchusG708, DemasG1214, and LukeG3065, myG1473 fellow workersG4904.

25TheG3588 graceG5485 of theG3588 LordG2962 JesusG2424 ChristG5547 be withG3326 yourG4771 spiritG4151.4