Filemon
En Levende Bok
Hilsen
1 Hilsen fra Paulus, som er kastet i fengsel for å ha spredd budskapet om Jesus Kristus[a]. Min medarbeider Timoteus sender også sin hilsen.
Til vår kjære venn og medarbeider Filemon. 2 Til menigheten som har sin møteplass i hjemmet hans. Til vår søster Appia, og vår stridskamerat Arkippus.
3 Vi ber at Gud, vår Far, og Herren Jesus Kristus vil vise dere godhet og fylle dere med fred.
Paulus takker Gud
4 Jeg takker alltid Gud når jeg ber for deg, kjære Filemon. 5 Jeg hører ofte om din tro på Herren Jesus og kjærligheten du viser alle troende. 6 Jeg ber om at den styrken du har gitt andre gjennom din tro, også vil få alle til å innse hvor mye godt de kan utrette for Kristus. 7 Jeg ble selv svært glad og oppmuntret da jeg hørte hvordan du, min bror, gjennom gode gjerninger, har gitt nytt mot til de troende.
Paulus ber for slaven Onesimus
8-9 Takket være vårt lange vennskap, vil jeg nå be deg om en ting. Jeg Paulus, er nå en gammel mann og fange for Jesus Kristi skyld.[b] Jeg kunne nok kreve denne tjenesten av deg i kraft av at oppdraget mitt kommer fra Kristus, men det vil jeg ikke.
10 Det jeg ber deg om, er at du må være god mot Onesimus. Han har blitt som en sønn for meg, etter som han kom til tro ved mitt arbeid her i fengslet. 11 Du hadde ikke spesielt stor nytte av Onesimus[c] før, men nå har han blitt til virkelig nytte for både deg og meg. 12 Når jeg nå sender ham tilbake til deg, er det som om jeg sendte en del av meg selv.
13 Jeg hadde helst ønsket å ha ham igjen her. Da kunne han hjelpe meg i ditt sted siden jeg nå sitter i fengsel for å ha spredd det glade budskapet om Jesus. 14 Jeg ville ikke beholde ham uten først å ha fått din fullmakt. Dersom vi gjør noe godt, skal det jo ikke være av tvang, men av fri vilje. 15 Kanskje kan vi se det på denne måten: Onesimus ble borte fra deg en kort periode, for at du skulle få ham tilbake for alltid! 16 Nå er han ikke bare slaven din, men noe mye mer. Nå er han din elskede bror. Selv elsker jeg ham høyt, men for deg må han bety enda mer. Det gjelder både som slave og som en troende bror som hører Herren Jesus til.
17 Dersom du ser på meg som vennen din, må du ta imot Onesimus på samme måten som du ville ha tatt imot meg. 18 Har han gjort deg urett på noen måte eller er skyldig deg noe, da kan du sette det på min regning. 19 Jeg, Paulus, signerer her med egen hånd[d]: Jeg skal betale tilbake. At du har en større gjeld til meg, etter som du kom til tro på grunn av meg, er en annen sak. 20 Ja, min kjære bror, la meg nå få nytte av at du lever i fellesskap med Herren Jesus. Gjør meg lettet og glad for Jesu Kristi skyld.
21 Dette skriver jeg, fullt overbevist om at du kommer til å gjøre det jeg ber deg om, ja mer enn som så.
Hilsen til slutt
22 En ting til ber jeg deg om: Ha et rom klart til meg. Jeg håper at Gud skal svare på bønnene deres og snart la meg få komme til dere.
23 Epafras, som også sitter i fengsel her for å ha spredd budskapet om Jesus Kristus, hilser til deg. 24 Det gjør også mine medarbeidere Markus, Aristark, Demas og Lukas.
25 Med ønske om at vår Herre Jesus Kristus i sin godhet og kjærlighet vil beskytte dere.
Footnotes
- 1:1 ”Kristus” betyr ”den salvede” på gresk. Blant Israels folk ble konger, prester og profeter salvet med olje før de begynte oppgaven sin. Gud hadde ved profetene lovet å sende en salvet konge som skulle herske over alle folk. Det hebraisk ordet ”Messias” betyr også ”den salvede”.
- 1:8-9 Alternativ oversettelse: Paulus, en representant for Jesus Kristus som nå også sitter i fengsel for hans skyld.
- 1:11 Navnet Onesimus betyr ”nyttig”.
- 1:19 Paulus dikterte brevet for en annen, men skrev dette selv, for at Filemon skulle vite at det var Paulus som lovet å betale tilbake.
Philemon
King James Version
1 Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy our brother, unto Philemon our dearly beloved, and fellowlabourer,
2 And to our beloved Apphia, and Archippus our fellowsoldier, and to the church in thy house:
3 Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
4 I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers,
5 Hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints;
6 That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.
7 For we have great joy and consolation in thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother.
8 Wherefore, though I might be much bold in Christ to enjoin thee that which is convenient,
9 Yet for love's sake I rather beseech thee, being such an one as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ.
10 I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds:
11 Which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me:
12 Whom I have sent again: thou therefore receive him, that is, mine own bowels:
13 Whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel:
14 But without thy mind would I do nothing; that thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly.
15 For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him for ever;
16 Not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord?
17 If thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself.
18 If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account;
19 I Paul have written it with mine own hand, I will repay it: albeit I do not say to thee how thou owest unto me even thine own self besides.
20 Yea, brother, let me have joy of thee in the Lord: refresh my bowels in the Lord.
21 Having confidence in thy obedience I wrote unto thee, knowing that thou wilt also do more than I say.
22 But withal prepare me also a lodging: for I trust that through your prayers I shall be given unto you.
23 There salute thee Epaphras, my fellowprisoner in Christ Jesus;
24 Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, my fellowlabourers.
25 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
Philemon
New King James Version
Greeting
1 Paul, a (A)prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,
To Philemon our beloved friend and fellow laborer, 2 to [a]the beloved Apphia, (B)Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house:
3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Philemon’s Love and Faith
4 (C)I thank my God, making mention of you always in my prayers, 5 (D)hearing of your love and faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints, 6 that the sharing of your faith may become effective (E)by the acknowledgment of (F)every good thing which is in [b]you in Christ Jesus. 7 For we [c]have great [d]joy and [e]consolation in your love, because the [f]hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother.
The Plea for Onesimus
8 Therefore, though I might be very bold in Christ to command you what is fitting, 9 yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you—being such a one as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ— 10 I appeal to you for my son (G)Onesimus, whom I have begotten while in my chains, 11 who once was unprofitable to you, but now is profitable to you and to me.
12 I am sending him [g]back. You therefore receive him, that is, my own [h]heart, 13 whom I wished to keep with me, that on your behalf he might minister to me in my chains for the gospel. 14 But without your consent I wanted to do nothing, (H)that your good deed might not be by compulsion, as it were, but voluntary.
15 For perhaps he departed for a while for this purpose, that you might receive him forever, 16 no longer as a slave but more than a slave—a beloved brother, especially to me but how much more to you, both in the (I)flesh and in the Lord.
Philemon’s Obedience Encouraged
17 If then you count me as a partner, receive him as you would me. 18 But if he has wronged you or owes anything, put that on my account. 19 I, Paul, am writing with my own (J)hand. I will repay—not to mention to you that you owe me even your own self besides. 20 Yes, brother, let me have joy from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in the Lord.
21 (K)Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say. 22 But, meanwhile, also prepare a guest room for me, for (L)I trust that (M)through your prayers I shall be granted to you.
Farewell
23 (N)Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you, 24 as do (O)Mark, (P)Aristarchus, (Q)Demas, (R)Luke, my fellow laborers.
25 (S)The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
Footnotes
- Philemon 1:2 NU our sister Apphia
- Philemon 1:6 NU, M us
- Philemon 1:7 NU had
- Philemon 1:7 M thanksgiving
- Philemon 1:7 comfort
- Philemon 1:7 Lit. inward parts, heart, liver, and lungs
- Philemon 1:12 NU back to you in person, that is, my own heart,
- Philemon 1:12 See v. 7.
Philemon
English Standard Version
Greeting
1 Paul, (A)a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and (B)Timothy our brother,
To Philemon our beloved fellow worker 2 and 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, 5 because I (H)hear of your love and (I)of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints, 6 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] 7 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
8 Accordingly, (M)though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do (N)what is required, 9 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
- 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
En Levende Bok: Det Nye Testamentet Copyright © 1978, 1988 by Biblica, Inc.®
Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
