The In-Dept Study of the Bible
Philemon 01
1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ† Jesus, and
Timothy our brother, to Philemon, our
beloved fellow worker,
2 to the beloved Apphia, to Archippus
our fellow soldier, and to the assembly in
your 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 you in my prayers,
5 hearing of your love and of the faith
which you have toward the Lord Jesus and
toward all the saints,
6 that the fellowship of your faith may
become effective in the knowledge of
every good thing which is in us in Christ
Jesus.
7 For we have much joy and comfort in
your love, because the hearts of the saints
have been refreshed through you, brother.
8 Therefore though I have all boldness
in Christ to command you that which is
appropriate,
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.
10 I appeal to you for my child Onesimus,
whom I have become the father of in my
chains,‡
11 who once was useless to you, but now
is useful to you and to me.
12 I am sending him back. Therefore
receive him, that is, my own heart,
13 whom I desired to keep with me, that
on your behalf he might serve me in my
chains for the Good News.
14 But I was willing to do nothing without
your consent, that your goodness would
not be as of necessity, but of free will.
15 For perhaps he was therefore separated
from you for a while that you would
have him forever,
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.
17 Ifthen you count me a partner, receive
him as you would receive me.
18 But if he has wronged you at all or
owes you anything, put that to my account.
19 I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I
will repay it(nottomentionto youthat you
owe to me even your own self besides).
20 Yes, brother, let me have joy from you
in the Lord. Refresh my heart in the Lord.
21 Having confidence in your obedience,
I write to you, knowing that you will do
even beyond what I say.
22 Also, prepare a guest room for me, for
I hope that through your prayers I will be
restored to you.
23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner inChrist
Jesus, greets you,
24 as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and
Luke, my fellow workers.
25 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be
with your spirit. Amen.