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

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

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

Thanksgiving and Prayer

⁴ I always thank my God^(I) as I remember you in my prayers,^{(J) 5} because I hear about your love for all his holy people^(K) and your faith in the Lord Jesus.^{(L) 6} 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. ⁷ 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

⁸ Therefore, although in Christ I could be bold and order you to do what you ought to do, ⁹ 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)

God’s Final Word: His Son

1 In the past God spoke^(AL) to our ancestors through the prophets^(AM) at many times and in various ways,^{(AN) 2} but in these last days^(AO) he has spoken to us by his Son,^(AP) whom he appointed heir^(AQ) of all things, and through whom^(AR) also he made the universe.^{(AS) 3} The Son is the radiance of God’s glory^(AT) and the exact representation of his being,^(AU) sustaining all things^(AV) by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins,^(AW) he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.^{(AX) 4} So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.^(AY)

The Son Superior to Angels

⁵ For to which of the angels did God ever say,

Or again,

⁶ And again, when God brings his firstborn^(BB) into the world,^(BC) he says,

⁷ In speaking of the angels he says,

⁸ But about the Son he says,

¹⁰ He also says,

¹³ To which of the angels did God ever say,

¹⁴ Are not all angels ministering spirits^(BQ) sent to serve those who will inherit^(BR) salvation?^(BS)

Warning to Pay Attention

2 We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.^{(BT) 2} For since the message spoken^(BU) through angels^(BV) was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment,^{(BW) 3} how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation?^(BX) This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord,^(BY) was confirmed to us by those who heard him.^{(BZ) 4} God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles,^(CA) and by gifts of the Holy Spirit^(CB) distributed according to his will.^(CC)

Jesus Made Fully Human

⁵ It is not to angels that he has subjected the world to come, about which we are speaking. ⁶ But there is a place where someone^(CD) has testified:

In putting everything under them,^[m] God left nothing that is not subject to them.^[n] Yet at present we do not see everything subject to them.^{[o] 9} But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor^(CG) because he suffered death,^(CH) so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.^(CI)

¹⁰ In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists,^(CJ) should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered.^{(CK) 11} Both the one who makes people holy^(CL) and those who are made holy^(CM) are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters.^{[p](CN) 12} He says,

¹³ And again,

And again he says,

¹⁴ Since the children have flesh and blood,^(CR) he too shared in their humanity^(CS) so that by his death he might break the power^(CT) of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil^(CU)— ¹⁵ and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear^(CV) of death. ¹⁶ For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants.^{(CW) 17} For this reason he had to be made like them,^[t](CX) fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful^(CY) and faithful high priest^(CZ) in service to God,^(DA) and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people.^{(DB) 18} Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.^(DC)

Jesus Greater Than Moses

3 Therefore, holy brothers and sisters,^(DD) who share in the heavenly calling,^(DE) fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge^(DF) as our apostle and high priest.^{(DG) 2} He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all God’s house.^{(DH) 3} Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses,^(DI) just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. ⁴ For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything.^{(DJ) 5} “Moses was faithful as a servant^(DK) in all God’s house,”^[u](DL) bearing witness to what would be spoken by God in the future. ⁶ But Christ is faithful as the Son^(DM) over God’s house. And we are his house,^(DN) if indeed we hold firmly^(DO) to our confidence and the hope^(DP) in which we glory.

Warning Against Unbelief

⁷ So, as the Holy Spirit says:^(DQ)

¹² See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.^{(DW) 13} But encourage one another daily,^(DX) as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.^{(DY) 14} We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold^(DZ) our original conviction firmly to the very end.^{(EA) 15} As has just been said:

¹⁶ Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt?^{(EC) 17} And with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies perished in the wilderness?^{(ED) 18} And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest^(EE) if not to those who disobeyed?^{(EF) 19} So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief.^(EG)