Philemon 1
1
1Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,
To Philemon our beloved fellow worker 2and Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow soldier, and the church in your house:
3 #
Rom 1.7. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
4 #
Rom 1.8. I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers, 5because I hear of your love and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and all the saints, 6and I pray that the sharing of your faith may promote the knowledge of all the good that is ours in Christ. 7For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you.
8Accordingly, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do what is required, 9yet for love's sake I prefer to appeal to you—I, Paul, an ambassador#1.9 Or an old man and now a prisoner also for Christ Jesus — 10#Col 4.9. I appeal to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I have become in my imprisonment. 11(Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful#1.11 The name Onesimus means useful or (compare verse 20) beneficial to you and to me.) 12I am sending him back to you, sending my very heart. 13I would have been glad to keep him with me, in order that he might serve me on your behalf during my imprisonment for the gospel; 14but I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your goodness might not be by compulsion but of your own free will.
15Perhaps this is why he was parted from you for a while, that you might have him back for ever, 16no longer as a slave but more than a slave, as a beloved brother, especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord. 17So if you consider me your partner, receive him as you would receive me. 18If he has wronged you at all, or owes you anything, charge that to my account. 19I, Paul, write this with my own hand, I will repay it—to say nothing of your owing me even your own self. 20Yes, brother, I want some benefit from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ.
21Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say. 22At the same time, prepare a guest room for me, for I am hoping through your prayers to be granted to you.
23 #
Col 1.7; 4.12. Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends greetings to you, 24#Col 4.10,14. and so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.
25The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.
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Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America
Philemon 1
1
Greeting
1Paul, # Ac 13:9 a prisoner # 2Tm 1:8; Heb 13:3 of Christ Jesus, # Rm 1:1 and Timothy # Ac 16:1; 1Tm 1:2 our brother:
To Philemon our dear friend and coworker, 2to Apphia our sister, # Other mss read our beloved to Archippus # Col 4:17 our fellow soldier, # Php 2:25 and to the church that meets in your home. # Ac 12:12; Rm 16:5
3Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Philemon’s Love and Faith
4I always thank my God when I mention you in my prayers, 5because I hear of your love # Dt 6:5; Mt 22:37; Gl 5:6,22; Eph 6:23; 1Th 1:3; 3:6; 5:8; 1Tm 1:14; 1Jn 4:20 and faith toward # Lit faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints. 6I pray that your participation in the faith may become effective # Gl 5:6 through knowing every good thing # Gn 1:31; 18:18; 3Jn 11 that is in us # Other mss read in you for the glory of Christ. 7For I have great joy and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed # Lk 12:19; 2Tm 1:16 through you, brother.
An Appeal for Onesimus
8For this reason, although I have great boldness in Christ to command you to do what is right, 9I appeal to you, instead, on the basis of love. I, Paul, as an elderly man # Or an ambassador and now also as a prisoner # 2Tm 1:8; Heb 13:3 of Christ Jesus, 10appeal to you for my son, # 1Th 2:11 Onesimus. # In Gk, Onesimus means useful. # Col 4:9 I fathered # Referring to the fact that Paul led him to Christ; 1Co 4:15 # 1Co 4:15 him while I was in chains. 11Once he was useless to you, but now he is useful both to you and to me. 12I am sending him back to you as a part of myself. # Other mss read him back. Receive him as a part of myself. # Lit you — that is, my inward parts 13I wanted to keep him with me, so that in my imprisonment for the gospel he might serve me in your place. 14But I didn’t want to do anything without your consent, so that your good deed might not be out of obligation, but of your own free will. 15For perhaps this is why he was separated from you for a brief time, so that you might get him back permanently, 16no longer as a slave, but more than a slave — as a dearly loved brother. He is especially so to me, but even more to you, both in the flesh # Php 3:3 and in the Lord. # Both physically and spiritually # 1Co 16:19; Rv 11:8
17So if you consider me a partner, accept # Rm 14:1 him as you would me. 18And if he has wronged you in any way, or owes you anything, charge that to my account. # Rm 5:13 19I, Paul, write this with my own hand: # 1Co 16:21 I will repay it — not to mention to you that you owe me even your own self. 20Yes, brother, may I have joy from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ. 21Since I am confident of your obedience, I am writing to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say. 22But meanwhile, also prepare a guest room for me, for I hope that through your prayers I will be restored to you.
Final Greetings
23Epaphras, # Col 1:7; 4:12 my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you, and so do 24Mark, # Ac 12:12,25; 15:37,39; Col 4:10; 2Tm 4:11; 1Pt 5:13 Aristarchus, # Ac 19:29 Demas, and Luke, # Col 4:14; 2Tm 4:10-11 my coworkers.
25The grace of the Lord # Other mss read our Lord # 2Th 3:18; Rv 11:8 Jesus Christ be with your spirit. # Ps 51:12
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