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From Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and from Timothy [Acts 16:1–5; 1 Cor. 16:10–11; Phil. 2:19–24], our brother.

To Philemon, our ·dear friend [brother] and ·worker with us [coworker]; to Apphia [C perhaps Philemon’s wife], our sister; to Archippus [C possibly Philemon’s son], ·a worker with us [L our fellow soldier]; and to the church that meets in your home:

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

Philemon’s Love and Faith

I always thank my God when I ·mention [remember] you in my prayers, because I hear about the love you have for all ·God’s holy people [T the saints] and the faith you have in the Lord Jesus. I pray that the ·faith you share [the sharing/fellowship of your faith] may ·make you [enable/empower you to] understand every blessing we have in Christ. I have great joy and comfort, my brother, because the love you have shown to ·God’s people [T the saints] has refreshed ·them [their hearts; L their inward parts; C the seat of emotions].

Accept Onesimus as a Brother

So, in Christ, I could be bold and order you to do what is ·right [required; proper; your duty]. But because I love you, I am ·pleading with [appealing to; urging; encouraging] you instead. I, Paul, an old man now and also a prisoner [C in Rome, about ad 60; Acts 28:16–31; Phil. 1:7] for Christ Jesus, 10 am ·pleading with [appealing to; urging; encouraging] you for my child Onesimus, ·who became my child [L whom I begat/fathered; C Paul evidently led Onesimus to Christ in Rome] while I was in prison. 11 In the past he was ·useless [unprofitable; worthless] to you, but now he has become ·useful [helpful; valuable] for both you and me [C a play on words, since Onesimus means “useful” or “helpful”].

12 I am sending him back to you, and ·with him I am sending my own heart [or he is my very heart]. 13 I wanted to keep him with me so that ·in your place [or on your behalf] he might ·help [serve] me while I am in prison for the ·Good News [Gospel]. 14 But I did not want to do anything without ·asking you first [your consent] so that any good you do for me will be because you want to do it, not ·because I forced you [out of compulsion]. 15 [L For] Maybe Onesimus was separated from you for a short time so you could have him back forever— 16 no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a loved brother. ·I love him very much, but you will love him even more [L …especially to me, but more so to you], both ·as a person [or in the natural realm; L in the flesh] and ·as a believer in the Lord [or in the spiritual realm; L in the Lord].

17 So if you consider me your partner, ·welcome [receive; accept] Onesimus as you would ·welcome [receive; accept] me. 18 If he has ·done anything wrong to [defrauded; harmed] you or if he owes you anything, charge that to me. 19 I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand [C contrary to his usual practice of using a scribe, or amanuensis; Rom. 16:22]. I will pay it back, and I will ·say nothing about what [make no mention that] you owe me for your ·own life [very self; C Paul had evidently led Philemon to Christ]. 20 ·So [L Yes], my brother, I ask ·that you do this for me [for this benefit/favor from you] in the Lord: Refresh my heart in Christ. 21 I write this letter, ·knowing [L confident of your obedience/compliance, knowing] that you will do what I ask you and even more.

22 One more thing—prepare a ·room [guest room] for me in which to stay, because I hope God will answer your prayers and I will be ·able to come [restored; L granted] to you.

Final Greetings

23 Epaphras [Col. 1:7; 4:12], a prisoner with me for Christ Jesus, sends greetings to you. 24 And also Mark [Acts 12:25; 13:13; 15:37–39; Col. 4:10], Aristarchus [Acts 19:29; Col. 4:10], Demas [Col. 4:14; 2 Tim. 4:10], and Luke [Col. 4:14; 2 Tim. 4:11], ·workers together with me [my coworkers], send greetings.

25 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

Paul Paulos, a prisoner desmios of Christ Christos Jesus Iēsous, and kai Timothy Timotheos our ho brother adelphos, to Philemon Philēmōn · ho our hēmeis dear friend agapētos and kai fellow worker synergos, · kai to Apphia Apphia our ho sister adelphē, · kai to Archippus Archippos · ho our hēmeis fellow soldier systratiōtēs, and kai to the ho church ekklēsia that meets in kata your sy house oikos: Grace charis to you hymeis and kai peace eirēnē from apo God theos our hēmeis Father patēr and kai the Lord kyrios Jesus Iēsous Christ Christos.

I always pantote thank eucharisteō · ho my egō God theos when I plegma remember mneia you sy in epi · ho my egō prayers proseuchē, because I hear akouō of your sy · ho love agapē for eis all pas the ho saints hagios and kai your ho faith pistis in pros the ho Lord kyrios Jesus Iēsous. · kai And I pray that hopōs the ho sharing koinōnia of ho your sy faith pistis may become ginomai effective energēs in en the knowledge epignōsis of every pas good agathos thing that belongs ho to en us hēmeis in eis Christ Christos. For gar I have derived echō much polys joy chara and kai encouragement paraklēsis from epi · ho your sy love agapē, my brother adelphos, because hoti the ho hearts splanchnon of the ho saints hagios have been refreshed anapauō by dia you sy.

So dio, although echō in en Christ Christos I have echō sufficient polys freedom parrēsia to order epitassō you sy to do what ho you ought anēkō, yet for dia · ho love’ s agapē sake I prefer mallon to appeal parakaleō to you— I toioutos, Paul Paulos, an old man presbytēs and de even kai now nyni a prisoner desmios for the sake of Christ Christos Jesus Iēsous 10 I appeal parakaleō to you sy for peri · ho my emos child teknon, Onesimus Onēsimos, whose hos father I became gennaō while en in ho prison desmos. 11 · ho Formerly pote he was of no use achrēstos to you sy, but de now nyni he has become useful euchrēstos both kai to you sy and kai to me egō. 12 I am sending anapempō him hos back to you sy, that houtos is eimi, the one who autos is · ho my own emos heart splanchnon. 13 I egō wanted boulomai to keep katechō him hos with pros me emautou, so that hina he could minister diakoneō to me egō on hyper your sy behalf during en my ho imprisonment desmos for the ho gospel euangelion, 14 but de I did thelō not oudeis want thelō to do poieō anything oudeis without chōris · ho your sos consent gnōmē, so that hina your sy helpfulness agathos might eimi not be eimi by kata compulsion anankē · ho but alla by kata your own free will hekousios. 15 Perhaps tacha he was separated from chōrizō you for pros a while hōra for dia this houtos reason , that hina you might have apechō him autos back apechō forever aiōnios, 16 no longer ouketi as hōs a slave, but alla more than hyper a slave, as a dear agapētos brother adelphos. He is especially malista so to me egō, but de how much posos more mallon to you sy, both kai in en the flesh sarx and kai in en the Lord kyrios.

17 So then oun if ei you regard echō me egō as a partner koinōnos, welcome proslambanō him autos as hōs you would me egō. 18 If ei · de he has wronged adikeō you sy or ē owes opheilō you anything tis, charge that houtos to my egō account ellogeō 19 I egō, Paul Paulos, am writing graphō this with ho my own emos hand cheir I egō will pay it back apotinō. I could hina mē also kai mention legō that hoti you owe prosopheilō me egō your very self seautou! 20 Yes nai, brother adelphos, I egō do wish that I may have some benefit oninēmi from you sy in en the Lord kyrios. Refresh anapauō my egō · ho heart splanchnon in en Christ Christos.

21 Confident peithō of ho your sy obedience hypakoē, I write graphō to you sy, knowing oida that hoti you will do poieō even kai more hyper than I say legō. 22 At the same time hama, · de · kai prepare hetoimazō a guest room xenia for me egō, for gar I am hoping elpizō that hoti through dia · ho your hymeis prayers proseuchē I will be graciously given charizomai to you hymeis.

23 Epaphras Epaphras, · ho my egō fellow prisoner synaichmalōtos in en Christ Christos Jesus Iēsous, sends aspazomai you sy greetings aspazomai, 24 as do Mark Markos, Aristarchus Aristarchos, Demas Dēmas, and Luke Loukas, · ho my egō fellow workers synergos. 25 The ho grace charis of the ho Lord kyrios Jesus Iēsous Christ Christos be with meta · ho your hymeis spirit pneuma.