The Epistle of Paul to Philemon

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- Chapter 1 -

(Philippians 1:1–2; Colossians 1:1–2)

Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and the brother Timothy to Philemon, our dear friend and fellow worker,

and to Apphia our sister, and to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church that meets in your home.

May grace be to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Philemon’s Faith and Love

I always thank my God. I mention you in my prayers.

I have heard of the love and the faith that you have in the Lord Jesus and for all the believers.

I pray that the fellowship of your faith may be effective for the knowledge of everything good that is among us in Christ.

For I have had much joy and comfort because of your love, because the hearts of the believers have been refreshed by you, brother.

Paul’s Appeal for Onesimus

Therefore, although I have all the boldness in Christ to command you to do what you should do,

yet because of love, I appeal to you instead-I, Paul, an old man, and now a prisoner for Christ Jesus.

I am asking you concerning my child Onesimus, whom I have fathered in my chains.

For he once was useless to you, but now he is useful both to you and to me.

I have sent him back to you, he who is my very heart.

I wish I could have kept him with me, so he could serve me for you, while I am in chains for the sake of the gospel.

But I did not want to do anything without your consent. I did not want your good deed to be from necessity but from good will.

Perhaps for this he was separated from you for a time, so that you might have him back forever.

No longer would he be a slave, but better than a slave, a beloved brother. He is beloved especially to me, and much more so to you, in both the flesh and in the Lord.

And so if you have me as a partner, receive him as me.

If he has wronged you or owes you anything, charge that to me.

I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will pay you back. Not to tell you that you owe me your own self.

Yes, brother, do me a favor in the Lord; give rest to my heart in Christ.

Confident about your obedience, I am writing to you. I know that you will do even more than I ask.

At the same time, prepare a guest room for me, for I hope that through your prayers I will be given back to you.

Additional Greetings

Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you.

So do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

(Philippians 1:1–2; Colossians 1:1–2)

Paul, a prisoner of Christ

(a)

Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon, our beloved fellow worker,

to the beloved Apphia, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the assembly in your house:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Philemon’s Faith and Love

I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers,

hearing of your love and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints,

that the fellowship of your faith may become effective in the knowledge of every good thing which is in us in Christ Jesus.

For we have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.

Paul’s Appeal for Onesimus

Therefore though I have all boldness in Christ to command you that which is appropriate,

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.

I appeal to you for my child Onesimus, whom I have become the father of in my chains,(b)

who once was useless to you, but now is useful to you and to me.

I am sending him back. Therefore receive him, that is, my own heart,

whom I desired to keep with me, that on your behalf he might serve me in my chains for the Good News.

But I was willing to do nothing without your consent, that your goodness would not be as of necessity, but of free will.

For perhaps he was therefore separated from you for a while that you would have him forever,

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.

If then you count me a partner, receive him as you would receive me.

But if he has wronged you at all or owes you anything, put that to my account.

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).

Yes, brother, let me have joy from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in the Lord.

Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even beyond what I say.

Also, prepare a guest room for me, for I hope that through your prayers I will be restored to you.

Additional Greetings

Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you,

as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

Footnotes

(a)1:1 “Christ” means “Anointed One”.

(b)1:10 Onesimus means “useful”.