Chapter 1

  Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon, our beloved fellow worker,  

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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  yet for love's sake I rather beg, being such a one as Paul, the aged, and now a prisoner also of Christ Jesus.  

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  I beg you for my child, whom I have fathered in my bonds, Onesimus,  

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

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

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  whom I wanted to keep with me, that in your behalf he might minister to me in the bonds of the gospel.  

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

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

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  no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother, specially to me, but how much rather to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.  

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

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

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  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).  

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

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

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

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

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

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

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