Philemon

English Standard Version

Greeting

¹Paul, ^(A)a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and ^(B)Timothy our brother,

To Philemon our beloved fellow worker ²and Apphia our sister and ^(C)Archippus our ^(D)fellow soldier, and ^(E)the church in your house:

³^(F)Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Philemon's Love and Faith

⁴^(G)I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers, ⁵because I ^(H)hear of your love and ^(I)of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints, ⁶and I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full ^(J)knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ.^[a] ⁷For I have derived much joy and ^(K)comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints ^(L)have been refreshed through you.

Paul's Plea for Onesimus

⁸Accordingly, ^(M)though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do ^(N)what is required, ⁹yet for love's sake I prefer to appeal to you—I, Paul, an old man and now ^(O)a prisoner also for Christ Jesus— ¹⁰I appeal to you for ^(P)my child, ^(Q)Onesimus,^[b] ^(R)whose father I became in my imprisonment. ¹¹(Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful 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 ^(S)on your behalf ^(T)during my imprisonment for the gospel, ¹⁴but I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your goodness might not be ^(U)by compulsion but of your own accord. ¹⁵For this perhaps is why ^(V)he was parted from you for a while, that you might have him back forever, ¹⁶^(W)no longer as a bondservant^[c] but more than a bondservant, as ^(X)a beloved brother—especially to me, but how much more to you, ^(Y)both in the flesh and in the Lord.

¹⁷So if you consider me ^(Z)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. ¹⁹^(AA)I, 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. ^(AB)Refresh my heart in Christ.

²¹^(AC)Confident 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 ^(AD)I am hoping that ^(AE)through your prayers ^(AF)I will be graciously given to you.

Final Greetings

²³^(AG)Epaphras, my ^(AH)fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends greetings to you, ²⁴and so do ^(AI)Mark, ^(AJ)Aristarchus, ^(AK)Demas, and ^(AL)Luke, my fellow workers.

²⁵^(AM)The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

Footnotes

Philemon 1:6 Or for Christ's service
Philemon 1:10 Onesimus means useful (see verse 11) or beneficial (see verse 20)
Philemon 1:16 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface; twice in this verse

Philemon

New International Version

¹Paul, a prisoner^(A) of Christ Jesus, and Timothy^(B) our brother,^(C)

To Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker^(D)— ²also to Apphia our sister and Archippus^(E) our fellow soldier^(F)—and to the church that meets in your home:^(G)

³Grace and peace to you^[a] from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.^(H)

Thanksgiving and Prayer

⁴I always thank my God^(I) as I remember you in my prayers,^(J) ⁵because I hear about your love for all his holy people^(K) and your faith in the Lord Jesus.^(L) ⁶I pray that your partnership with us in the faith may be effective in deepening your understanding of every good thing we share for the sake of Christ. ⁷Your love has given me great joy and encouragement,^(M) because you, brother, have refreshed^(N) the hearts of the Lord’s people.

Paul’s Plea for Onesimus

⁸Therefore, although in Christ I could be bold and order you to do what you ought to do, ⁹yet I prefer to appeal to you^(O) on the basis of love. It is as none other than Paul—an old man and now also a prisoner^(P) of Christ Jesus— ¹⁰that I appeal to you for my son^(Q) Onesimus,^[b]^(R) who became my son while I was in chains.^(S) ¹¹Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.

¹²I am sending him—who is my very heart—back to you. ¹³I would have liked to keep him with me so that he could take your place in helping me while I am in chains^(T) for the gospel. ¹⁴But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that any favor you do would not seem forced^(U) but would be voluntary. ¹⁵Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back forever— ¹⁶no longer as a slave,^(V) but better than a slave, as a dear brother.^(W) He is very dear to me but even dearer to you, both as a fellow man and as a brother in the Lord.

¹⁷So if you consider me a partner,^(X) welcome him as you would welcome me. ¹⁸If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me.^(Y) ¹⁹I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand.^(Z) I will pay it back—not to mention that you owe me your very self. ²⁰I do wish, brother, that I may have some benefit from you in the Lord; refresh^(AA) my heart in Christ. ²¹Confident^(AB) of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask.

²²And one thing more: Prepare a guest room for me, because I hope to be^(AC) restored to you in answer to your prayers.^(AD)

²³Epaphras,^(AE) my fellow prisoner^(AF) in Christ Jesus, sends you greetings. ²⁴And so do Mark,^(AG) Aristarchus,^(AH) Demas^(AI) and Luke, my fellow workers.^(AJ)

²⁵The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.^(AK)

Footnotes

Philemon 1:3 The Greek is plural; also in verses 22 and 25; elsewhere in this letter “you” is singular.
Philemon 1:10 Onesimus means useful.

Philippians 1:1-2:11

English Standard Version

Greeting

1 Paul and Timothy, servants^[a] of Christ Jesus,

To all the ^(A)saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the ^(B)overseers^[b] and ^(C)deacons:^[c]

²^(D)Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Thanksgiving and Prayer

³^(E)I thank my God ^(F)in all my remembrance of you, ⁴always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, ⁵^(G)because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. ⁶And I am sure of this, that he who began ^(H)a good work in you ^(I)will bring it to completion at ^(J)the day of Jesus Christ. ⁷It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you ^(K)in my heart, for you are all ^(L)partakers with me of grace,^[d] both ^(M)in my imprisonment and in ^(N)the defense and confirmation of the gospel. ⁸For ^(O)God is my witness, ^(P)how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. ⁹And it is my prayer that ^(Q)your love may abound more and more, ^(R)with knowledge and all discernment, ¹⁰so that you may approve what is excellent, ^(S)and so be pure and blameless ^(T)for the day of Christ, ¹¹filled ^(U)with the fruit of righteousness that comes ^(V)through Jesus Christ, ^(W)to the glory and praise of God.

The Advance of the Gospel

¹²I want you to know, brothers,^[e] that what has happened to me has really ^(X)served to advance the gospel, ¹³so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard^[f] and ^(Y)to all the rest that ^(Z)my imprisonment is for Christ. ¹⁴And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold ^(AA)to speak the word^[g] without fear.

¹⁵^(AB)Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. ¹⁶The latter do it out of love, ^(AC)knowing that I am put here for ^(AD)the defense of the gospel. ¹⁷The former proclaim Christ ^(AE)out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. ¹⁸What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice.

To Live Is Christ

Yes, and I will rejoice, ¹⁹for I know that ^(AF)through your prayers and ^(AG)the help of ^(AH)the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, ²⁰as it is my eager expectation and hope ^(AI)that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full ^(AJ)courage now as always Christ ^(AK)will be honored in my body, ^(AL)whether by life or by death. ²¹For to me ^(AM)to live is Christ, and to die is gain. ²²If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. ²³^(AN)I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is ^(AO)to depart and ^(AP)be with Christ, for that is far better. ²⁴But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. ²⁵^(AQ)Convinced of this, ^(AR)I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your ^(AS)progress and ^(AT)joy in the faith, ²⁶so that in me ^(AU)you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.

²⁷Only ^(AV)let your manner of life be ^(AW)worthy^[h] of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you ^(AX)that you are standing firm in one spirit, with ^(AY)one mind ^(AZ)striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, ²⁸and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is ^(BA)a clear sign to them of their destruction, but ^(BB)of your salvation, and that from God. ²⁹For ^(BC)it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also ^(BD)suffer for his sake, ³⁰engaged in the same ^(BE)conflict that ^(BF)you saw I had and now hear that I still have.

Christ's Example of Humility

2 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from ^(BG)love, any ^(BH)participation in the Spirit, any ^(BI)affection and sympathy, ²^(BJ)complete my joy by being ^(BK)of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. ³Do nothing from ^(BL)selfish ambition or ^(BM)conceit, but in ^(BN)humility count others more significant than yourselves. ⁴Let each of you ^(BO)look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. ⁵^(BP)Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,^[i] ⁶^(BQ)who, though he was in ^(BR)the form of God, did not count equality with God ^(BS)a thing to be grasped,^[j] ⁷but ^(BT)emptied himself, by taking the form of a ^(BU)servant,^[k] ^(BV)being born in the likeness of men. ⁸And being found in human form, he humbled himself by ^(BW)becoming obedient to the point of death, ^(BX)even death on a cross. ⁹^(BY)Therefore ^(BZ)God has ^(CA)highly exalted him and bestowed on him ^(CB)the name that is above every name, ¹⁰so that at the name of Jesus ^(CC)every knee should bow, ^(CD)in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹and ^(CE)every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is ^(CF)Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Footnotes

Philippians 1:1 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface
Philippians 1:1 Or bishops; Greek episkopoi
Philippians 1:1 Or servants, or ministers; Greek diakonoi
Philippians 1:7 Or you all have fellowship with me in grace
Philippians 1:12 Or brothers and sisters. In New Testament usage, depending on the context, the plural Greek word adelphoi (translated “brothers”) may refer either to brothers or to brothers and sisters; also verse 14
Philippians 1:13 Greek in the whole praetorium
Philippians 1:14 Some manuscripts add of God
Philippians 1:27 Greek Only behave as citizens worthy
Philippians 2:5 Or which was also in Christ Jesus
Philippians 2:6 Or a thing to be held on to for advantage
Philippians 2:7 Or slave (for the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface)

Philippians 1:1-2:11

New International Version

1 Paul and Timothy,^(A) servants of Christ Jesus,

To all God’s holy people^(B) in Christ Jesus at Philippi,^(C) together with the overseers^(D) and deacons^[a]:^(E)

²Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.^(F)

Thanksgiving and Prayer

³I thank my God every time I remember you.^(G) ⁴In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray^(H) with joy ⁵because of your partnership^(I) in the gospel from the first day^(J) until now, ⁶being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion^(K) until the day of Christ Jesus.^(L)

⁷It is right^(M) for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart^(N) and, whether I am in chains^(O) or defending^(P) and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. ⁸God can testify^(Q) how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

⁹And this is my prayer: that your love^(R) may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,^(S) ¹⁰so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,^(T) ¹¹filled with the fruit of righteousness^(U) that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.

Paul’s Chains Advance the Gospel

¹²Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters,^[b] that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. ¹³As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard^[c] and to everyone else that I am in chains^(V) for Christ. ¹⁴And because of my chains,^(W) most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear.^(X)

¹⁵It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. ¹⁶The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel.^(Y) ¹⁷The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition,^(Z) not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains.^(AA) ¹⁸But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.

Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, ¹⁹for I know that through your prayers^(AB) and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ^(AC) what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.^[d]^(AD) ²⁰I eagerly expect^(AE) and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage^(AF) so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body,^(AG) whether by life or by death.^(AH) ²¹For to me, to live is Christ^(AI) and to die is gain. ²²If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! ²³I am torn between the two: I desire to depart^(AJ) and be with Christ,^(AK) which is better by far; ²⁴but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. ²⁵Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, ²⁶so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me.

Life Worthy of the Gospel

²⁷Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy^(AL) of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm^(AM) in the one Spirit,^[e] striving together^(AN) as one for the faith of the gospel ²⁸without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God. ²⁹For it has been granted to you^(AO) on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer^(AP) for him, ³⁰since you are going through the same struggle^(AQ) you saw^(AR) I had, and now hear^(AS) that I still have.

Imitating Christ’s Humility

2 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit,^(AT) if any tenderness and compassion,^(AU) ²then make my joy complete^(AV) by being like-minded,^(AW) having the same love, being one^(AX) in spirit and of one mind. ³Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.^(AY) Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,^(AZ) ⁴not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.^(BA)

⁵In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:^(BB)

⁶Who, being in very nature^[f] God,^(BC)
    did not consider equality with God^(BD) something to be used to his own advantage;
⁷rather, he made himself nothing^(BE)
    by taking the very nature^[g] of a servant,^(BF)
    being made in human likeness.^(BG)
⁸And being found in appearance as a man,
    he humbled himself
    by becoming obedient to death^(BH)—
        even death on a cross!^(BI)

⁹Therefore God exalted him^(BJ) to the highest place
    and gave him the name that is above every name,^(BK)
¹⁰that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,^(BL)
    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,^(BM)
¹¹and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,^(BN)
    to the glory of God the Father.

Footnotes

Philippians 1:1 The word deacons refers here to Christians designated to serve with the overseers/elders of the church in a variety of ways; similarly in Romans 16:1 and 1 Tim. 3:8,12.
Philippians 1:12 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family; also in verse 14; and in 3:1, 13, 17; 4:1, 8, 21.
Philippians 1:13 Or whole palace
Philippians 1:19 Or vindication; or salvation
Philippians 1:27 Or in one spirit
Philippians 2:6 Or in the form of
Philippians 2:7 Or the form

English Standard Version (ESV)

New International Version (NIV)

Philemon

English Standard Version

Greeting

Philemon's Love and Faith

Paul's Plea for Onesimus

Final Greetings

Footnotes

Cross references

Philemon

New International Version

Thanksgiving and Prayer

Paul’s Plea for Onesimus

Footnotes

Cross references

Philippians 1:1-2:11

English Standard Version

Greeting

Thanksgiving and Prayer

The Advance of the Gospel

To Live Is Christ

Christ's Example of Humility

Footnotes

Cross references

Philippians 1:1-2:11

New International Version

Thanksgiving and Prayer

Paul’s Chains Advance the Gospel

Life Worthy of the Gospel

Imitating Christ’s Humility

Footnotes

Cross references

More on the NIV

Philemon English Standard Version

Greeting

Philemon's Love and Faith

Paul's Plea for Onesimus

Final Greetings

Footnotes

Cross references

Philemon New International Version

Thanksgiving and Prayer

Paul’s Plea for Onesimus

Footnotes

Cross references

Philippians 1:1-2:11 English Standard Version

Greeting

Thanksgiving and Prayer

The Advance of the Gospel

To Live Is Christ

Christ's Example of Humility

Footnotes

Cross references

Philippians 1:1-2:11 New International Version

Thanksgiving and Prayer

Paul’s Chains Advance the Gospel

Life Worthy of the Gospel

Imitating Christ’s Humility

Footnotes

Cross references

More on the NIV

Philemon

English Standard Version

Philemon

New International Version

Philippians 1:1-2:11

English Standard Version

Philippians 1:1-2:11

New International Version