Isaiah 6-7
New Living Translation
Isaiah’s Cleansing and Call
6 It was in the year King Uzziah died[a] that I saw the Lord. He was sitting on a lofty throne, and the train of his robe filled the Temple. 2 Attending him were mighty seraphim, each having six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. 3 They were calling out to each other,
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies!
The whole earth is filled with his glory!”
4 Their voices shook the Temple to its foundations, and the entire building was filled with smoke.
5 Then I said, “It’s all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips, and I live among a people with filthy lips. Yet I have seen the King, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.”
6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal he had taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. 7 He touched my lips with it and said, “See, this coal has touched your lips. Now your guilt is removed, and your sins are forgiven.”
8 Then I heard the Lord asking, “Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?”
I said, “Here I am. Send me.”
9 And he said, “Yes, go, and say to this people,
‘Listen carefully, but do not understand.
Watch closely, but learn nothing.’
10 Harden the hearts of these people.
Plug their ears and shut their eyes.
That way, they will not see with their eyes,
nor hear with their ears,
nor understand with their hearts
and turn to me for healing.”[b]
11 Then I said, “Lord, how long will this go on?”
And he replied,
“Until their towns are empty,
their houses are deserted,
and the whole country is a wasteland;
12 until the Lord has sent everyone away,
and the entire land of Israel lies deserted.
13 If even a tenth—a remnant—survive,
it will be invaded again and burned.
But as a terebinth or oak tree leaves a stump when it is cut down,
so Israel’s stump will be a holy seed.”
A Message for Ahaz
7 When Ahaz, son of Jotham and grandson of Uzziah, was king of Judah, King Rezin of Syria[c] and Pekah son of Remaliah, the king of Israel, set out to attack Jerusalem. However, they were unable to carry out their plan.
2 The news had come to the royal court of Judah: “Syria is allied with Israel[d] against us!” So the hearts of the king and his people trembled with fear, like trees shaking in a storm.
3 Then the Lord said to Isaiah, “Take your son Shear-jashub[e] and go out to meet King Ahaz. You will find him at the end of the aqueduct that feeds water into the upper pool, near the road leading to the field where cloth is washed.[f] 4 Tell him to stop worrying. Tell him he doesn’t need to fear the fierce anger of those two burned-out embers, King Rezin of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah. 5 Yes, the kings of Syria and Israel are plotting against him, saying, 6 ‘We will attack Judah and capture it for ourselves. Then we will install the son of Tabeel as Judah’s king.’ 7 But this is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“This invasion will never happen;
it will never take place;
8 for Syria is no stronger than its capital, Damascus,
and Damascus is no stronger than its king, Rezin.
As for Israel, within sixty-five years
it will be crushed and completely destroyed.
9 Israel is no stronger than its capital, Samaria,
and Samaria is no stronger than its king, Pekah son of Remaliah.
Unless your faith is firm,
I cannot make you stand firm.”
The Sign of Immanuel
10 Later, the Lord sent this message to King Ahaz: 11 “Ask the Lord your God for a sign of confirmation, Ahaz. Make it as difficult as you want—as high as heaven or as deep as the place of the dead.[g]”
12 But the king refused. “No,” he said, “I will not test the Lord like that.”
13 Then Isaiah said, “Listen well, you royal family of David! Isn’t it enough to exhaust human patience? Must you exhaust the patience of my God as well? 14 All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin[h] will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’). 15 By the time this child is old enough to choose what is right and reject what is wrong, he will be eating yogurt[i] and honey. 16 For before the child is that old, the lands of the two kings you fear so much will both be deserted.
17 “Then the Lord will bring things on you, your nation, and your family unlike anything since Israel broke away from Judah. He will bring the king of Assyria upon you!”
18 In that day the Lord will whistle for the army of southern Egypt and for the army of Assyria. They will swarm around you like flies and bees. 19 They will come in vast hordes and settle in the fertile areas and also in the desolate valleys, caves, and thorny places. 20 In that day the Lord will hire a “razor” from beyond the Euphrates River[j]—the king of Assyria—and use it to shave off everything: your land, your crops, and your people.[k]
21 In that day a farmer will be fortunate to have a cow and two sheep or goats left. 22 Nevertheless, there will be enough milk for everyone because so few people will be left in the land. They will eat their fill of yogurt and honey. 23 In that day the lush vineyards, now worth 1,000 pieces of silver,[l] will become patches of briers and thorns. 24 The entire land will become a vast expanse of briers and thorns, a hunting ground overrun by wildlife. 25 No one will go to the fertile hillsides where the gardens once grew, for briers and thorns will cover them. Cattle, sheep, and goats will graze there.
Footnotes
- 6:1 King Uzziah died in 740 B.c.
- 6:9-10 Greek version reads And he said, “Go and say to this people, / ‘When you hear what I say, you will not understand. / When you see what I do, you will not comprehend.’ / For the hearts of these people are hardened, / and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes— / so their eyes cannot see, / and their ears cannot hear, / and their hearts cannot understand, / and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them.” Compare Matt 13:14-15; Mark 4:12; Luke 8:10; Acts 28:26-27.
- 7:1 Hebrew Aram; also in 7:2, 4, 5, 8.
- 7:2 Hebrew Ephraim, referring to the northern kingdom of Israel; also in 7:5, 8, 9, 17.
- 7:3a Shear-jashub means “A remnant will return.”
- 7:3b Or bleached.
- 7:11 Hebrew as deep as Sheol.
- 7:14 Or young woman.
- 7:15 Or curds; also in 7:22.
- 7:20a Hebrew the river.
- 7:20b Hebrew shave off the head, the hair of the legs, and the beard.
- 7:23 Hebrew 1,000 [shekels] of silver, about 25 pounds or 11.4 kilograms in weight.
Isaiah 6-7
New American Standard Bible
Isaiah’s Vision
6 In the year of (A)King Uzziah’s death (B)I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. 2 Seraphim were standing above Him, (C)each having six wings: with two each covered his face, and with two each covered his feet, and with two each flew. 3 And one called out to another and said,
4 And the [b]foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the [c](F)temple was filling with smoke. 5 Then I said,
“(G)Woe to me, for I am ruined!
Because I am a man of (H)unclean lips,
And I live among a (I)people of unclean lips;
For my eyes have seen the (J)King, the Lord of armies.”
6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal in his hand, which he had taken from the (K)altar with tongs. 7 He (L)touched my mouth with it and said, “Behold, this has touched your lips; and (M)your guilt is taken away and atonement is made for your sin.”
Isaiah’s Commission
8 Then I heard the (N)voice of the Lord, saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Then (O)I said, “Here am I. Send me!” 9 And He said, “Go, and tell this people:
‘Keep on (P)listening, but do not understand;
And keep on looking, but do not gain knowledge.’
10 (Q)Make the hearts of this people [d](R)insensitive,
Their ears [e]dull,
And their eyes [f]blind,
(S)So that they will not see with their eyes,
Hear with their ears,
Understand with their hearts,
And return and be healed.”
11 Then I said, “Lord, (T)how long?” And He answered,
“Until (U)cities are devastated and without inhabitant,
Houses are without people
And the land is utterly desolate,
12 The Lord has (V)completely removed people,
And there [g]are many (W)forsaken places in the midst of the land.
13 Yet there will still be a tenth portion in it,
And it will again be subject to burning,
Like a terebinth or an (X)oak
Whose stump remains when it is cut down.
The (Y)holy seed is its stump.”
War against Jerusalem
7 Now it came about in the days of (Z)Ahaz, the son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, that (AA)Rezin the king of Aram and (AB)Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up to Jerusalem to wage war against it, but (AC)could not [h]conquer it. 2 When it was reported to the (AD)house of David, saying, “The Arameans (AE)have taken a stand by (AF)Ephraim,” his heart and the hearts of his people shook as the trees of the forest shake from the wind.
3 Then the Lord said to Isaiah, “Go out now to meet Ahaz, you and your son [i]Shear-jashub, at the end of the (AG)conduit of the upper pool, on the road to the [j]fuller’s field, 4 and say to him, ‘Take care and be (AH)calm, have no (AI)fear and (AJ)do not be fainthearted because of these two stumps of smoldering (AK)logs, on account of the fierce anger of Rezin and Aram and the (AL)son of Remaliah. 5 Because (AM)Aram, with Ephraim and the son of Remaliah, has planned evil against you, saying, 6 “Let’s go up against Judah and [k]terrorize it, and take it for ourselves by assault and set up the son of Tabeel as king in the midst of it,” 7 this is what the Lord [l]God says: “(AN)It shall not stand nor shall it come to pass. 8 For the head of Aram is (AO)Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin (now within another sixty-five years Ephraim will be broken to pieces, so that it is no longer a people), 9 and the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is the son of Remaliah. (AP)If you will not believe, you certainly shall not [m]last.”’”
The Child Immanuel
10 Then the Lord spoke again to Ahaz, saying, 11 “Ask for a (AQ)sign for yourself from the Lord your God; [n]make it deep as Sheol or high as [o]heaven.” 12 But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, nor will I put the Lord to the test!” 13 Then he said, “Listen now, (AR)house of David! Is it too trivial a thing for you to [p]try the patience of men, that you will [q](AS)try the patience of (AT)my God as well? 14 Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, (AU)the [r]virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and she will name Him [s](AV)Immanuel. 15 He will eat [t](AW)curds and honey [u]at the time He knows enough to refuse evil and choose good. 16 (AX)For before the boy knows enough to refuse evil and choose good, (AY)the land whose two kings you dread will be abandoned.
Trials to Come for Judah
17 The Lord will bring on you, on your people, and on your father’s house such days as have not come since the day that (AZ)Ephraim separated from Judah—the days of the (BA)king of Assyria.”
18 On that day the Lord will (BB)whistle for the fly that is in the [v](BC)remotest part of the canals of Egypt and for the bee that is in the land of Assyria. 19 They will all come and settle on the steep [w]ravines, on the (BD)ledges of the cliffs, (BE)on all the thorn bushes, and on all the watering places.
20 On that day the Lord will (BF)shave with a (BG)razor, (BH)hired from regions beyond (BI)the Euphrates River (that is, with the king of Assyria), the head and the hair of the legs; and it will also remove the beard.
21 Now on that day a person may keep alive only a (BJ)heifer and a pair of sheep; 22 and because of the abundance of the milk produced he will eat [x]curds, for everyone who is left within the land will eat [y](BK)curds and honey.
23 And it will come about on that day, (BL)that every place where there used to be a thousand vines, valued at a thousand shekels of silver, will become (BM)briars and thorns. 24 People will come there with bows and arrows, because all the land will be briars and thorns. 25 As for all the hills which used to be cultivated with the plow, you will not go there for fear of briars and thorns; but they will become a place for [z](BN)pasturing oxen and for sheep to trample.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 6:3 Lit fullness of the whole earth is His glory
- Isaiah 6:4 Lit door sockets
- Isaiah 6:4 Lit house
- Isaiah 6:10 Lit fat
- Isaiah 6:10 Lit heavy
- Isaiah 6:10 Lit sealed over
- Isaiah 6:12 Or forsakenness will be great
- Isaiah 7:1 Lit fight against
- Isaiah 7:3 I.e., a remnant shall return
- Isaiah 7:3 I.e., launderer’s
- Isaiah 7:6 Or demolish
- Isaiah 7:7 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord
- Isaiah 7:9 Or endure
- Isaiah 7:11 As in most ancient versions; MT make the request deep or high
- Isaiah 7:11 Lit heights
- Isaiah 7:13 Lit make men weary
- Isaiah 7:13 Lit make my God weary
- Isaiah 7:14 As in LXX; MT young unmarried woman
- Isaiah 7:14 I.e., God is with us
- Isaiah 7:15 Possibly butter
- Isaiah 7:15 Lit with respect to his knowing
- Isaiah 7:18 Or mouth of the rivers; i.e., the Nile Delta
- Isaiah 7:19 Or wadis
- Isaiah 7:22 Possibly butter
- Isaiah 7:22 Possibly butter
- Isaiah 7:25 Lit pastureland of
2 Chronicles 26-27
New Living Translation
Uzziah Rules in Judah
26 All the people of Judah had crowned Amaziah’s sixteen-year-old son, Uzziah, as king in place of his father. 2 After his father’s death, Uzziah rebuilt the town of Elath[a] and restored it to Judah.
3 Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-two years. His mother was Jecoliah from Jerusalem. 4 He did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight, just as his father, Amaziah, had done. 5 Uzziah sought God during the days of Zechariah, who taught him to fear God.[b] And as long as the king sought guidance from the Lord, God gave him success.
6 Uzziah declared war on the Philistines and broke down the walls of Gath, Jabneh, and Ashdod. Then he built new towns in the Ashdod area and in other parts of Philistia. 7 God helped him in his wars against the Philistines, his battles with the Arabs of Gur,[c] and his wars with the Meunites. 8 The Meunites[d] paid annual tribute to him, and his fame spread even to Egypt, for he had become very powerful.
9 Uzziah built fortified towers in Jerusalem at the Corner Gate, at the Valley Gate, and at the angle in the wall. 10 He also constructed forts in the wilderness and dug many water cisterns, because he kept great herds of livestock in the foothills of Judah[e] and on the plains. He was also a man who loved the soil. He had many workers who cared for his farms and vineyards, both on the hillsides and in the fertile valleys.
11 Uzziah had an army of well-trained warriors, ready to march into battle, unit by unit. This army had been mustered and organized by Jeiel, the secretary of the army, and his assistant, Maaseiah. They were under the direction of Hananiah, one of the king’s officials. 12 These regiments of mighty warriors were commanded by 2,600 clan leaders. 13 The army consisted of 307,500 men, all elite troops. They were prepared to assist the king against any enemy.
14 Uzziah provided the entire army with shields, spears, helmets, coats of mail, bows, and sling stones. 15 And he built structures on the walls of Jerusalem, designed by experts to protect those who shot arrows and hurled large stones[f] from the towers and the corners of the wall. His fame spread far and wide, for the Lord gave him marvelous help, and he became very powerful.
Uzziah’s Sin and Punishment
16 But when he had become powerful, he also became proud, which led to his downfall. He sinned against the Lord his God by entering the sanctuary of the Lord’s Temple and personally burning incense on the incense altar. 17 Azariah the high priest went in after him with eighty other priests of the Lord, all brave men. 18 They confronted King Uzziah and said, “It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord. That is the work of the priests alone, the descendants of Aaron who are set apart for this work. Get out of the sanctuary, for you have sinned. The Lord God will not honor you for this!”
19 Uzziah, who was holding an incense burner, became furious. But as he was standing there raging at the priests before the incense altar in the Lord’s Temple, leprosy[g] suddenly broke out on his forehead. 20 When Azariah the high priest and all the other priests saw the leprosy, they rushed him out. And the king himself was eager to get out because the Lord had struck him. 21 So King Uzziah had leprosy until the day he died. He lived in isolation in a separate house, for he was excluded from the Temple of the Lord. His son Jotham was put in charge of the royal palace, and he governed the people of the land.
22 The rest of the events of Uzziah’s reign, from beginning to end, are recorded by the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz. 23 When Uzziah died, he was buried with his ancestors; his grave was in a nearby burial field belonging to the kings, for the people said, “He had leprosy.” And his son Jotham became the next king.
Jotham Rules in Judah
27 Jotham was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. His mother was Jerusha, the daughter of Zadok.
2 Jotham did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight. He did everything his father, Uzziah, had done, except that Jotham did not sin by entering the Temple of the Lord. But the people continued in their corrupt ways.
3 Jotham rebuilt the upper gate of the Temple of the Lord. He also did extensive rebuilding on the wall at the hill of Ophel. 4 He built towns in the hill country of Judah and constructed fortresses and towers in the wooded areas. 5 Jotham went to war against the Ammonites and conquered them. Over the next three years he received from them an annual tribute of 7,500 pounds[h] of silver, 50,000 bushels of wheat, and 50,000 bushels of barley.[i]
6 King Jotham became powerful because he was careful to live in obedience to the Lord his God.
7 The rest of the events of Jotham’s reign, including all his wars and other activities, are recorded in The Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah. 8 He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. 9 When Jotham died, he was buried in the City of David. And his son Ahaz became the next king.
Footnotes
- 26:2 As in Greek version (see also 2 Kgs 14:22; 16:6); Hebrew reads Eloth, a variant spelling of Elath.
- 26:5 As in Syriac and Greek versions; Hebrew reads who instructed him in divine visions.
- 26:7 As in Greek version; Hebrew reads Gur-baal.
- 26:8 As in Greek version; Hebrew reads Ammonites. Compare 26:7.
- 26:10 Hebrew the Shephelah.
- 26:15 Or to shoot arrows and hurl large stones.
- 26:19 Or a contagious skin disease. The Hebrew word used here and throughout this passage can describe various skin diseases.
- 27:5a Hebrew 100 talents [3,400 kilograms].
- 27:5b Hebrew 10,000 cors [2,200 kiloliters] of wheat, and 10,000 cors of barley.
2 Chronicles 26-27
New American Standard Bible
Uzziah Succeeds Amaziah in Judah
26 Now all the people of Judah took [a]Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in place of his father Amaziah. 2 He built Eloth and restored it to Judah after the king [b]lay down with his fathers. 3 Uzziah was (A)sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned for fifty-two years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was [c]Jechiliah of Jerusalem. 4 He did what was right in the sight of the Lord, in accordance with everything that his father Amaziah had done. 5 (B)He continued to seek God in the days of Zechariah, (C)who had understanding [d]through the vision of God; and [e](D)as long as he sought the Lord, God made him successful.
Uzziah Succeeds in War
6 Now he went out and (E)fought against the Philistines, and broke down the wall of Gath, the wall of Jabneh, and the wall of Ashdod; and he built cities in the area of Ashdod and among the Philistines. 7 (F)God helped him against the Philistines, and against the Arabians who lived in Gur-baal, and the Meunites. 8 The Ammonites gave (G)tribute to Uzziah, and his [f]fame extended to the border of Egypt, for he became very strong. 9 Moreover, Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at (H)the Corner Gate, the (I)Valley Gate, and at the corner buttress, and he fortified them. 10 He also built towers in the wilderness and (J)carved out many cisterns, for he had much livestock, both in the [g]lowland and in the plain. He also had plowmen and vinedressers in the hill country and the fertile fields, for he loved the soil. 11 Moreover, Uzziah had an army ready for battle, which [h]entered combat by divisions according to the number of their muster, [i]recorded by Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the official, under the direction of Hananiah, one of the king’s officers. 12 The total number of the heads of the [j]households, of valiant warriors, was 2,600. 13 Under their direction was an army of (K)307,500, who could wage war with great power, to help the king against the enemy. 14 Moreover, Uzziah prepared [k]for all the army shields, spears, helmets, body armor, bows, and slingstones. 15 In Jerusalem he made machines of war invented by skillful workmen to be on the towers and the corners, for the purpose of shooting arrows and great stones. So his [l]fame spread far, for he was marvelously helped until he was strong.
Pride Is Uzziah’s Undoing
16 But (L)when he became strong, his heart was so [m]proud that he acted corruptly, and he was untrue to the Lord his God, for (M)he entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense. 17 Then (N)Azariah the priest entered after him, and with him eighty priests of the Lord, valiant men. 18 (O)They opposed Uzziah the king and said to him, “(P)It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord, (Q)but for the priests, the sons of Aaron who have been consecrated to burn incense. Leave the sanctuary, for you have been untrue and will have no honor from the Lord God.” 19 But Uzziah, with a censer in his hand for burning incense, was enraged; and while he was enraged with the priests, (R)leprosy broke out on his forehead in the presence of the priests in the house of the Lord, beside the altar of incense. 20 Azariah the chief priest and all the priests looked at him, and behold, he was leprous on his forehead; and they quickly removed him from there, and he himself also hurried to get out because the Lord had stricken him. 21 (S)King Uzziah had leprosy to the day of his death; and he lived in (T)a separate house, afflicted as he was with leprosy, for he was cut off from the house of the Lord. And his son Jotham was over the king’s house, judging the people of the land.
22 Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, the first to the last, the prophet (U)Isaiah, the son of Amoz, has written. 23 So Uzziah [n]lay down with his fathers, and they buried him with his fathers (V)in the field of the grave which belonged to the kings, for they said, “He had leprosy.” And his son Jotham became king in his place.
Jotham Succeeds Uzziah in Judah
27 (W)Jotham was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned for sixteen years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Jerushah the daughter of Zadok. 2 He did what was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father Uzziah had done; (X)however he did not enter the temple of the Lord. But the people continued acting corruptly. 3 He built the upper gate of the house of the Lord, and he built the wall of (Y)Ophel extensively. 4 Moreover, he built (Z)cities in the hill country of Judah, and he built fortresses and towers on the wooded hills. 5 He fought with the king of the Ammonites and prevailed over them so that during that year the Ammonites gave him [o]a hundred talents of silver, [p]ten thousand kors of wheat, and ten thousand of barley. The Ammonites also paid him this amount in the second year and in the third. 6 (AA)So Jotham became powerful because he directed his ways before the Lord his God. 7 (AB)Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, all his wars and his ways, behold, they are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah. 8 He was (AC)twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for sixteen years. 9 And Jotham [q]lay down with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David; and his son Ahaz became king in his place.
Footnotes
- 2 Chronicles 26:1 In 2 Kin 14:21, Azariah
- 2 Chronicles 26:2 I.e., died
- 2 Chronicles 26:3 In 2 Kin 15:2, Jecoliah
- 2 Chronicles 26:5 Many mss in the fear of God
- 2 Chronicles 26:5 Lit in the days of his seeking
- 2 Chronicles 26:8 Lit name went to the entering of Egypt
- 2 Chronicles 26:10 Heb shephelah
- 2 Chronicles 26:11 Lit was going out to
- 2 Chronicles 26:11 Lit by the hand of
- 2 Chronicles 26:12 Lit fathers
- 2 Chronicles 26:14 Lit for them, for all
- 2 Chronicles 26:15 Lit name
- 2 Chronicles 26:16 Lit high
- 2 Chronicles 26:23 I.e., died
- 2 Chronicles 27:5 About 3.75 tons or 3.4 metric tons
- 2 Chronicles 27:5 About 77,000 cubic feet or 2,180 cubic meters
- 2 Chronicles 27:9 I.e., died
Philemon
New Living Translation
Greetings from Paul
1 This letter is from Paul, a prisoner for preaching the Good News about Christ Jesus, and from our brother Timothy.
I am writing to Philemon, our beloved co-worker, 2 and to our sister Apphia, and to our fellow soldier Archippus, and to the church that meets in your[a] house.
3 May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.
Paul’s Thanksgiving and Prayer
4 I always thank my God when I pray for you, Philemon, 5 because I keep hearing about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all of God’s people. 6 And I am praying that you will put into action the generosity that comes from your faith as you understand and experience all the good things we have in Christ. 7 Your love has given me much joy and comfort, my brother, for your kindness has often refreshed the hearts of God’s people.
Paul’s Appeal for Onesimus
8 That is why I am boldly asking a favor of you. I could demand it in the name of Christ because it is the right thing for you to do. 9 But because of our love, I prefer simply to ask you. Consider this as a request from me—Paul, an old man and now also a prisoner for the sake of Christ Jesus.[b]
10 I appeal to you to show kindness to my child, Onesimus. I became his father in the faith while here in prison. 11 Onesimus[c] hasn’t been of much use to you in the past, but now he is very useful to both of us. 12 I am sending him back to you, and with him comes my own heart.
13 I wanted to keep him here with me while I am in these chains for preaching the Good News, and he would have helped me on your behalf. 14 But I didn’t want to do anything without your consent. I wanted you to help because you were willing, not because you were forced. 15 It seems you lost Onesimus for a little while so that you could have him back forever. 16 He is no longer like a slave to you. He is more than a slave, for he is a beloved brother, especially to me. Now he will mean much more to you, both as a man and as a brother in the Lord.
17 So if you consider me your partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. 18 If he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge it to me. 19 I, PAUL, WRITE THIS WITH MY OWN HAND: I WILL REPAY IT. AND I WON’T MENTION THAT YOU OWE ME YOUR VERY SOUL!
20 Yes, my brother, please do me this favor[d] for the Lord’s sake. Give me this encouragement in Christ.
21 I am confident as I write this letter that you will do what I ask and even more! 22 One more thing—please prepare a guest room for me, for I am hoping that God will answer your prayers and let me return to you soon.
Paul’s Final Greetings
23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you his greetings. 24 So do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my co-workers.
25 May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.
Philemon
New American Standard Bible
Salutation
1 (A)Paul, (B)a prisoner of (C)Christ Jesus, and (D)Timothy [a]our brother,
To Philemon our beloved brother and (E)fellow worker, 2 and to Apphia [b](F)our sister, and to (G)Archippus our (H)fellow soldier, and to (I)the church in your house: 3 (J)Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Philemon’s Love and Faith
4 (K)I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers, 5 because I (L)hear of your love and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the [c]saints; 6 and I pray that the fellowship of your faith may become effective [d]through the (M)knowledge of every good thing which is in you [e]for the sake of Christ. 7 For I have had great (N)joy and comfort in your love, because the [f]hearts of the [g]saints have been (O)refreshed through you, brother.
8 Therefore, (P)though I have [h]enough confidence in Christ to order you to do what is (Q)proper, 9 yet for love’s sake I rather (R)appeal to you—since I am such a person as Paul, [i]an (S)old man, and now also (T)a prisoner of (U)Christ Jesus—
Plea for Onesimus, a Free Man
10 I (V)appeal to you for my (W)[j]son [k](X)Onesimus, whom I [l]fathered in my [m]imprisonment, 11 who previously was useless to you, but now is useful both to you and to me. 12 I have sent him back to you in person, that is, sending my very heart, 13 whom I wanted to keep with me, so that in your behalf he might be at my service in my [n](Y)imprisonment for the gospel; 14 but I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that your goodness would (Z)not be, in effect, by compulsion, but of your own free will. 15 For perhaps it was (AA)for this reason that he was separated from you for a while, that you would have him back forever, 16 (AB)no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, (AC)a beloved brother, especially to me, but how much more to you, both (AD)in the flesh and in the Lord.
17 If then you regard me as a (AE)partner, accept him as you would me. 18 But if he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge that to my account; 19 (AF)I, Paul, have written this with my own hand, I will repay it ((AG)not to [o]mention to you that you owe to me even your own self as well). 20 Yes, brother, let me benefit from you in the Lord; (AH)refresh my heart in Christ.
21 (AI)Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, since I know that you will do even more than what I say.
22 At the same time also prepare me a (AJ)guest room, for (AK)I hope that through (AL)your prayers (AM)I will be given to you.
23 (AN)Epaphras, my (AO)fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you, 24 as do (AP)Mark, (AQ)Aristarchus, (AR)Demas, and (AS)Luke, my (AT)fellow workers.
25 (AU)The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be (AV)with your spirit.[p]
Footnotes
- Philemon 1:1 Lit the
- Philemon 1:2 Lit the
- Philemon 1:5 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people
- Philemon 1:6 Or in
- Philemon 1:6 Lit toward Christ
- Philemon 1:7 Lit inward parts
- Philemon 1:7 See note v 5
- Philemon 1:8 Lit much
- Philemon 1:9 Or an ambassador
- Philemon 1:10 Or child
- Philemon 1:10 I.e., useful
- Philemon 1:10 I.e., led to the Lord
- Philemon 1:10 Lit bonds
- Philemon 1:13 Lit bonds
- Philemon 1:19 Lit say
- Philemon 1:25 One early ms adds Amen
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
