So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God (A)but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.

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so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God(A) but our lives as well.(B)

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16 By this we know love, that (A)he laid down his life for us, and (B)we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.

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16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.(A) And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.(B)

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15 (A)I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If (B)I love you more, am I to be loved less?

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15 So I will very gladly spend for you everything I have and expend myself as well.(A) If I love you more,(B) will you love me less?

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17 Even if I am to be (A)poured out as a drink offering upon (B)the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all.

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17 But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering(A) on the sacrifice(B) and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you.(C)

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11 For (A)I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you— 12 that is, that we may be mutually encouraged (B)by each other's faith, both yours and mine.

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11 I long to see you(A) so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift(B) to make you strong— 12 that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.

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17 Obey (A)your leaders and submit to them, (B)for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to (C)give an account. (D)Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.

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17 Have confidence in your leaders(A) and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you(B) as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.

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Greeting

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

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

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

Philemon's Love and Faith

(G)I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers, because I (H)hear of your love and (I)of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints, and 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] For 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

Accordingly, (M)though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do (N)what is required, yet for love's sake I prefer to appeal to you—I, Paul, an old man and now (O)a prisoner also for Christ Jesus— 10 I 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.) 12 I am sending him back to you, sending my very heart. 13 I 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, 14 but I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your goodness might not be (U)by compulsion but of your own accord. 15 For 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.

17 So if you consider me (Z)your partner, receive him as you would receive me. 18 If 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. 20 Yes, 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. 22 At 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, 24 and 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

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

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

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

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

Thanksgiving and Prayer

I always thank my God(I) as I remember you in my prayers,(J) because I hear about your love for all his holy people(K) and your faith in the Lord Jesus.(L) I 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. Your 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

Therefore, although in Christ I could be bold and order you to do what you ought to do, yet 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— 10 that I appeal to you for my son(Q) Onesimus,[b](R) who became my son while I was in chains.(S) 11 Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.

12 I am sending him—who is my very heart—back to you. 13 I 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. 14 But 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. 15 Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back forever— 16 no 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.

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

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

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

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

Footnotes

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

12 (A)Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always (B)struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand (C)mature and fully assured in all the will of God.

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12 Epaphras,(A) who is one of you(B) and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you,(C) that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature(D) and fully assured.

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28 Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that (A)we may present everyone (B)mature in Christ.

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28 He is the one we proclaim, admonishing(A) and teaching everyone with all wisdom,(B) so that we may present everyone fully mature(C) in Christ.

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just as you learned it from (A)Epaphras our beloved (B)fellow servant.[a] He is (C)a faithful minister of Christ on your[b] behalf

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Footnotes

  1. Colossians 1:7 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word sundoulos, see Preface
  2. Colossians 1:7 Some manuscripts our

You learned it from Epaphras,(A) our dear fellow servant,[a] who is a faithful minister(B) of Christ on our[b] behalf,

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Footnotes

  1. Colossians 1:7 Or slave
  2. Colossians 1:7 Some manuscripts your

Therefore, my brothers,[a] whom I love and (A)long for, (B)my joy and (C)crown, (D)stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.

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Footnotes

  1. Philippians 4:1 Or brothers and sisters; also verses 8, 21

Closing Appeal for Steadfastness and Unity

Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you whom I love and long for,(A) my joy and crown, stand firm(B) in the Lord in this way, dear friends!

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25 I have thought it necessary to send to you (A)Epaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and (B)fellow soldier, and your messenger and (C)minister to my need, 26 for he has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill.

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25 But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, co-worker(A) and fellow soldier,(B) who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs.(C) 26 For he longs for all of you(D) and is distressed because you heard he was ill.

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20 For I have no one (A)like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare.

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20 I have no one else like him,(A) who will show genuine concern for your welfare.

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