Philemon 1:8-16

8Christ makes me bold enough to order you to do the right thing.

9However, I would prefer to make an appeal on the basis of love. I, Paul, as an old man and now a prisoner for Christ Jesus,

10appeal to you for my child Onesimus [Useful]. I became his spiritual father here in prison.

11Once he was useless to you, but now he is very useful to both of us.

12I am sending him back to you. This is like sending you a part of myself.

13I wanted to keep him here with me. Then he could have served me in your place while I am in prison for spreading the Good News.

14Yet, I didn’t want to do anything without your consent. I want you to do this favor for me out of your own free will without feeling forced to do it.

15Maybe Onesimus was gone for a while so that you could have him back forever—

16no longer as a slave but better than a slave—as a dear brother. He is especially dear to me, but even more so to you, both as a person and as a Christian.