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 beg, being such a one as Paul, the aged, and now a prisoner also of Christ Jesus. 10: I beg you for my child, whom I have fathered in my bonds, Onesimus, 11: who once was useless to you, but now is useful to you and to me. 12: I am sending him back. You therefore receive him, that is, my own heart, 13: whom I wanted to keep with me, that in your behalf he might minister to me in the bonds of the gospel. 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: If then 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 (not to mention to you that 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 in Christ 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.
