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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.

Salutation

Paul, a prisoner [for the sake] of Christ Jesus (the Messiah, the Anointed), and our brother Timothy,

To Philemon our dearly beloved friend and fellow worker, and to [your wife] Apphia our sister, and to [a]Archippus our fellow soldier [in ministry], and to the [b]church that meets in your [c]house: Grace to you and peace [inner calm and spiritual well-being] from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Philemon’s Love and Faith

I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers, because I hear of your love and of your faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the [d]saints (God’s people). I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective and powerful because of your accurate knowledge of every good thing which is ours in Christ. For I have had great joy and comfort and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the saints (God’s people) have been refreshed through you, my brother.

Therefore [on the basis of these facts], though I have enough confidence in Christ to order you to do what is appropriate, yet for love’s sake I prefer to appeal to you—since I am such a person as Paul, an old man, and now also a prisoner [for the sake] of Christ Jesus—

A Plea for Onesimus to be Freed

10 I appeal to you for my [own spiritual] child Onesimus, whom I have fathered [in the faith] while a captive in these chains. 11 Once he was useless to you, but now he is indeed [e]useful to you as well as to me. 12 I have sent him back to you in person, that is, like sending my very heart. 13 I would have chosen to keep him with me, so that he might minister to me on your behalf during my imprisonment for the gospel; 14 but I did not want to do anything without first getting your consent, so that your goodness would not be, in effect, by compulsion but of your own free will. 15 Perhaps it was for this reason that he was separated from you for a while, so that you would have him back forever, 16 no longer as a slave, but [as someone] more than a slave, as a brother [in Christ], especially dear to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh [as a servant] and in the Lord [as a fellow believer].(A)

17 So if you consider me a partner, welcome and 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 I, Paul, write this with my [f]own hand, I will repay it in full (not to mention to you that you [g]owe to me even your own self as well). 20 Yes, brother, let me have some benefit and joy from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ.

21 I write to you [perfectly] confident of your obedient compliance, [h]since I know that you will do even more than I ask.

22 At the same time also prepare a guest room for me [in expectation of a visit], for I hope that through your prayers I will be [granted the gracious privilege of] coming to you [at Colossae].

23 Greetings to you from Epaphras, my fellow prisoner here in [the cause of] Christ Jesus, 24 and from Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.

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

Footnotes

  1. Philemon 1:2 Perhaps the son of Philemon and Apphia.
  2. Philemon 1:2 Philemon was responsible to see that this letter was shared with his fellow Colossian believers.
  3. Philemon 1:2 Prior to the third century a.d. churches customarily met in private homes.
  4. Philemon 1:5 All born-again believers (saints) have been reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, made holy and set apart for God’s purpose.
  5. Philemon 1:11 Paul makes a play on words here because Onesimus means “useful” or “profitable.”
  6. Philemon 1:19 By writing this with his own hand, Paul accepted legal liability.
  7. Philemon 1:19 Philemon evidently was saved through Paul’s ministry and therefore owed Paul a debt that could not be repaid.
  8. Philemon 1:21 This was probably a subtle suggestion by Paul to emancipate Onesimus.