Philemon 1
1
1Paul, prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timotheus the brother, to Philemon the beloved and our fellow-workman, 2and to the sister Apphia and to Archippus our fellow-soldier, and to the assembly which is in thine house. 3Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. 4I thank my God, always making mention of thee at my prayers, 5hearing of thy love and the faith which thou hast towards the Lord Jesus, and towards all the saints, 6in 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. 7For we have great thankfulness and encouragement through thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother.
8Wherefore having much boldness in Christ to enjoin thee what is fitting, 9for love's sake I rather exhort, being such a one as Paul the aged, and now also prisoner of Jesus Christ. 10I exhort thee for my child, whom I have begotten in my bonds, Onesimus, 11once unserviceable to thee, but now serviceable to thee and to me: 12whom I have sent back to thee: but do thou receive him, that is, my bowels: 13whom I was desirous of keeping with myself, that for thee he might minister to me in the bonds of the glad tidings; 14but I have wished to do nothing without thy mind, that thy good might not be as of necessity but of willingness: 15for perhaps for this reason he has been separated from thee for a time, that thou mightest possess him fully for ever; 16not 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? 17If therefore thou holdest me to be a partner with thee, receive him as me; 18but if he have wronged thee anything or owe anything to thee, put this to my account. 19I 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. 20Yea, brother, I would have profit of thee in the Lord: refresh my bowels in Christ. 21Being confident of thine obedience, I have written to thee, knowing that thou wilt do even more than I say. 22But withal prepare me also a lodging; for I hope that I shall be granted to you through your prayers. 23Epaphras salutes thee, my fellow-prisoner in Christ Jesus; 24Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow-workmen. 25The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.
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First published in 1890. This edition is maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.
Philemon 1
1
Salutation
1Paul, a prisoner [for the sake] of Christ Jesus (the Messiah, the Anointed), and our brother Timothy,
To Philemon our dearly beloved friend and fellow worker, 2and to [your wife] Apphia our sister, and to #1:2 Perhaps the son of Philemon and Apphia.Archippus our fellow soldier [in ministry], and to the #1:2 Philemon was responsible to see that this letter was shared with his fellow Colossian believers.church that meets in your #1:2 Prior to the third century a.d. churches customarily met in private homes.house: 3Grace to you and peace [inner calm and spiritual well-being] from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Philemon’s Love and Faith
4I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers, 5because I hear of your love and of your faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the #1:5 All born-again believers (saints) have been reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, made holy and set apart for God’s purpose.saints (God’s people). 6I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective and powerful because of your accurate knowledge of every good thing which is ours in Christ. 7For I have had great joy and comfort and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the saints (God’s people) have been refreshed through you, my brother.
8Therefore [on the basis of these facts], though I have enough confidence in Christ to order you to do what is appropriate, 9yet for love’s sake I prefer to appeal to you—since I am such a person as Paul, an old man, and now also a prisoner [for the sake] of Christ Jesus—
A Plea for Onesimus to be Freed
10I appeal to you for my [own spiritual] child Onesimus, whom I have fathered [in the faith] while a captive in these chains. 11Once he was useless to you, but now he is indeed #1:11 Paul makes a play on words here because Onesimus means “useful” or “profitable.”useful to you as well as to me. 12I have sent him back to you in person, that is, like sending my very heart. 13I would have chosen to keep him with me, so that he might minister to me on your behalf during my imprisonment for the gospel; 14but I did not want to do anything without first getting your consent, so that your goodness would not be, in effect, by compulsion but of your own free will. 15Perhaps it was for this reason that he was separated from you for a while, so that you would have him back forever, 16no longer as a slave, but [as someone] more than a slave, as a brother [in Christ], especially dear to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh [as a servant] and in the Lord [as a fellow believer]. [Col 4:9]
17So if you consider me a partner, welcome and accept him as you would me. 18But if he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge that to my account; 19I, Paul, write this with my #1:19 By writing this with his own hand, Paul accepted legal liability.own hand, I will repay it in full (not to mention to you that you #1:19 Philemon evidently was saved through Paul’s ministry and therefore owed Paul a debt that could not be repaid.owe to me even your own self as well). 20Yes, brother, let me have some benefit and joy from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ.
21I write to you [perfectly] confident of your obedient compliance, #1:21 This was probably a subtle suggestion by Paul to emancipate Onesimus.since I know that you will do even more than I ask.
22At the same time also prepare a guest room for me [in expectation of a visit], for I hope that through your prayers I will be [granted the gracious privilege of] coming to you [at Colossae].
23Greetings to you from Epaphras, my fellow prisoner here in [the cause of] Christ Jesus, 24and from Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.
25The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.
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