Philemon 8-16

English Standard Version

Paul's Plea for Onesimus

⁸ Accordingly, ^(A)though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do ^(B)what is required, ⁹ yet for love's sake I prefer to appeal to you—I, Paul, an old man and now ^(C)a prisoner also for Christ Jesus— ¹⁰ I appeal to you for ^(D)my child, ^(E)Onesimus,^{[a] (F)}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 ^(G)on your behalf ^(H)during my imprisonment for the gospel, ¹⁴ but I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your goodness might not be ^(I)by compulsion but of your own accord. ¹⁵ For this perhaps is why ^(J)he was parted from you for a while, that you might have him back forever, ^16 (K)no longer as a bondservant^[b] but more than a bondservant, as ^(L)a beloved brother—especially to me, but how much more to you, ^(M)both in the flesh and in the Lord.