Filemón

¹ Paul, prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timotheus the brother, to Philemon the beloved and our fellow-workman, ² and to the sister Apphia and to Archippus our fellow-soldier, and to the assembly which is in thine house. ³ Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. ⁴ I thank my God, always making mention of thee at my prayers, ⁵ hearing of thy love and the faith which thou hast towards the Lord Jesus, and towards all the saints, ⁶ in such sort that thy participation in the faith should become operative in the acknowledgment of every good thing which is in us towards Christ Jesus . ⁷ For we have great thankfulness and encouragement through thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother.

⁸ Wherefore having much boldness in Christ to enjoin thee what is fitting, ⁹ for love's sake I rather exhort, being such a one as Paul the aged, and now also prisoner of Jesus Christ. ¹⁰ I exhort thee for *my* child, whom I have begotten in my bonds, Onesimus, ¹¹ once unserviceable to thee, but now serviceable to thee and to me: ¹² whom I have sent back to thee: but do *thou* receive him, that is, *my* bowels: ¹³ whom *I* was desirous of keeping with myself, that for thee he might minister to me in the bonds of the glad tidings; ¹⁴ but I have wished to do nothing without thy mind, that thy good might not be as of necessity but of willingness: ¹⁵ for perhaps for this reason he has been separated from thee for a time, that thou mightest possess him fully for ever; ¹⁶ not any longer as a bondman, but above a bondman, a beloved brother, specially to me, and how much rather to thee, both in the flesh and in the Lord? ¹⁷ If therefore thou holdest me to be a partner with thee , receive him as me; ¹⁸ but if he have wronged thee anything or owe anything to thee , put this to my account. ¹⁹ *I* Paul have written it with mine own hand; *I* will repay it : that I say not to thee that thou owest even thine own self also to me. ²⁰ Yea, brother, *I* would have profit of *thee* in the Lord: refresh my bowels in Christ. ²¹ Being confident of thine obedience, I have written to thee, knowing that thou wilt do even more than I say. ²² But withal prepare me also a lodging; for I hope that I shall be granted to you through your prayers. ²³ Epaphras salutes thee, my fellow-prisoner in Christ Jesus; ²⁴ Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow-workmen. ²⁵ The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.