Philemon
Worldwide English (New Testament)
1 I am Paul. I am in prison because I belong to Christ Jesus. Our brother Timothy and I send greetings to you, Philemon. We love you very much. And you work with us.
2 We also send greetings to our sister Apphia; to Archippus who is worker in God's army as we are; and to the people who meet as a church in your house.
3 May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ bless you in their kindness and give you peace.
4 I always thank my God when I talk to him about you.
5 I have heard that you love all of God's people and that you believe in our Lord Jesus Christ.
6 You believe as I do. I ask God that he may help you to know more and more of every good thing that we have in Christ.
7 My brother, your love made me very glad and it comforted my heart. I know that God's people were glad because you loved them.
8 Because I am Christ's apostle, I could tell you what you must do.
9 But because I love you, I would rather not tell you, but ask you to do this for me. I, Paul, am an old man and now I am in prison because I belong to Jesus Christ.
10 I am asking you to do something for my son. He became a Christian here in prison. This son is Onesimus.
11 At one time he was no help to you. But now he is a big help to you and to me.
12 I am sending him back to you and it is like sending you my own heart.
13 I would like to keep him with me. He can help me while I am in prison for the sake of the good news. That would be just as if you were here to help me.
14 But I did not want to do anything unless you agreed. I did not want you to do this because you were forced to do it, but because you wanted to do it.
15 Maybe it was good for him to be away from you for a while. Now you will have him with you for ever.
16 Now he is not like a slave who must work for you. He is better than a slave. He is a Christian brother and you will love him. I love him very much. But you will love him even more because he belongs to you and he is a Christian.
17 So if you think of me as a real friend, take him back just as you would take me back.
18 If he has done you any wrong, or if he owes you a debt, then ask me to pay it.
19 I, Paul, write this with my own hand. I will repay it. I do not need to tell you that you have your life because of what I did for you.
20 Yes, my brother, give me some help in the Lord. Make me happy in Christ.
21 I believe that you will do what I ask you to do. And so I am writing to you. I know that you will do even more than I ask you to do.
22 At the same time, please make a place ready for me to stay. I know you are asking God to set me free, so I believe he will let me come to see you.
23 Epaphras is in prison with me for the sake of Christ Jesus. He sends greetings to you.
24 Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke are working with me. They all send greetings too.
25 May the loving kindness of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen! May it be so!
Philemon
Expanded Bible
1 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]; 2 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:
3 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Philemon’s Love and Faith
4 I always thank my God when I ·mention [remember] you in my prayers, 5 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. 6 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. 7 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
8 So, in Christ, I could be bold and order you to do what is ·right [required; proper; your duty]. 9 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.
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