Philemon
New Living Translation
Greetings from Paul
1 This letter is from Paul, a prisoner for preaching the Good News about Christ Jesus, and from our brother Timothy.
I am writing to Philemon, our beloved co-worker, 2 and to our sister Apphia, and to our fellow soldier Archippus, and to the church that meets in your[a] house.
3 May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.
Paul’s Thanksgiving and Prayer
4 I always thank my God when I pray for you, Philemon, 5 because I keep hearing about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all of God’s people. 6 And I am praying that you will put into action the generosity that comes from your faith as you understand and experience all the good things we have in Christ. 7 Your love has given me much joy and comfort, my brother, for your kindness has often refreshed the hearts of God’s people.
Paul’s Appeal for Onesimus
8 That is why I am boldly asking a favor of you. I could demand it in the name of Christ because it is the right thing for you to do. 9 But because of our love, I prefer simply to ask you. Consider this as a request from me—Paul, an old man and now also a prisoner for the sake of Christ Jesus.[b]
10 I appeal to you to show kindness to my child, Onesimus. I became his father in the faith while here in prison. 11 Onesimus[c] hasn’t been of much use to you in the past, but now he is very useful to both of us. 12 I am sending him back to you, and with him comes my own heart.
13 I wanted to keep him here with me while I am in these chains for preaching the Good News, and he would have helped me on your behalf. 14 But I didn’t want to do anything without your consent. I wanted you to help because you were willing, not because you were forced. 15 It seems you lost Onesimus for a little while so that you could have him back forever. 16 He is no longer like a slave to you. He is more than a slave, for he is a beloved brother, especially to me. Now he will mean much more to you, both as a man and as a brother in the Lord.
17 So if you consider me your partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. 18 If he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge it to me. 19 I, PAUL, WRITE THIS WITH MY OWN HAND: I WILL REPAY IT. AND I WON’T MENTION THAT YOU OWE ME YOUR VERY SOUL!
20 Yes, my brother, please do me this favor[d] for the Lord’s sake. Give me this encouragement in Christ.
21 I am confident as I write this letter that you will do what I ask and even more! 22 One more thing—please prepare a guest room for me, for I am hoping that God will answer your prayers and let me return to you soon.
Paul’s Final Greetings
23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you his greetings. 24 So do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my co-workers.
25 May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.
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
腓 利 門 書
Chinese New Testament: Easy-to-Read Version
1 我，保罗，为了基督耶稣的缘故成为囚徒，和我们的兄弟提摩太， 写信给我们亲爱的朋友和同事腓利门， 2 以及我们的姐妹亚腓亚、和我们的战友亚基布及在你们家相聚的教会。
3 愿我们的父上帝和我主耶稣基督的恩典与和平属于你们。
腓利门的爱与信仰
4 我在祈祷中提起你时，总是感谢上帝， 5 因为我听说了你对主耶稣的爱和信仰，以及你对所有上帝子民的爱。 6 我祈祷你和我们共同享有的信仰能引导你充分理解我们在基督里所有的好事。 7 你的爱使我感到欢欣鼓舞，因为通过你的努力，上帝子民的心振作起来了。
待阿尼西母为兄弟
8 尽管做为在基督里你的兄弟，我可以毫无顾忌地命令你履行职责， 9 但我情愿在爱的基础上请求你。我，保罗，一个上了年纪的人，为了基督耶稣，现在成了囚徒。 10 我对你的请求是为了我的儿子阿尼西母，我在狱中时做了他的父亲。 11 过去他对你没有什么用处，但现在他不仅对你有用，对我也有用。 [a]
12 我派他回到你那里去（应该说派他去那里就是派我的心去了那里）。 13 我本想把他留在我身边，让他能够在我为福音坐牢时代表你为我服务。 14 但我不愿未经你同意做任何事，以便你的善行不是出于勉强，而是出于自愿。
15 也许让他暂时离开你的原因是为了让他永远和你在一起， 16 让他不再做为奴隶，而是比奴隶强。你要把他当做亲爱的兄弟。我很爱他，你会更爱他，不仅做为一个人爱他，而是要把他做为主内的兄弟爱他。
17 因此，如果你确实把我当成伙伴，请像欢迎我一样地欢迎他。 18 如果他亏待你或亏欠你什么东西，就请把这一切都记在我的账上。 19 我，保罗，亲笔写下∶“我会偿还你.”（我不必告诉你，你欠我的是你的生命。） 20 所以，兄弟，我请求你在主内为我做些事情，在基督里振奋我的内心。 21 我相信你会听从我，我才给你写这封信，我知道你做的会远远超过我所要求的。
22 还有，请给我准备一间客房。我相信上帝会回答你们的祷告，让我平安地回到你们那里。
最后的问候
23 在基督耶稣里与我一起坐牢的以巴弗问你好。 24 我的同事马可、亚里达古、底马和路加也问你好！
25 愿主耶稣基督的恩典与你们的精神同在！
Footnotes
- 腓 利 門 書 1:11 保罗在此用阿尼西母的名字做了一个游戏，此名意为有用。
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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