Philemon
Good News Translation
1 From Paul, a prisoner for the sake of Christ Jesus, and from our brother Timothy—
To our friend and fellow worker Philemon, 2 (A)and the church that meets in your house, and our sister Apphia, and our fellow soldier Archippus:
3 May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.
Philemon's Love and Faith
4 Brother Philemon, every time I pray, I mention you and give thanks to my God. 5 For I hear of your love for all of God's people and the faith you have in the Lord Jesus. 6 My prayer is that our fellowship with you as believers will bring about a deeper understanding of every blessing which we have in our life in union with Christ. 7 Your love, dear brother, has brought me great joy and much encouragement! You have cheered the hearts of all of God's people.
A Request for Onesimus
8 For this reason I could be bold enough, as your brother in Christ, to order you to do what should be done. 9 But because I love you, I make a request instead. I do this even though I am Paul, the ambassador of Christ Jesus, and at present also a prisoner for his sake.[a] 10 (B)So I make a request to you on behalf of Onesimus, who is my own son in Christ; for while in prison I have become his spiritual father. 11 At one time he was of no use to you, but now he is useful[b] both to you and to me.
12 I am sending him back to you now, and with him goes my heart. 13 I would like to keep him here with me, while I am in prison for the gospel's sake, so that he could help me in your place. 14 However, I do not want to force you to help me; rather, I would like for you to do it of your own free will. So I will not do anything unless you agree.
15 It may be that Onesimus was away from you for a short time so that you might have him back for all time. 16 And now he is not just a slave, but much more than a slave: he is a dear brother in Christ. How much he means to me! And how much more he will mean to you, both as a slave and as a brother in the Lord!
17 So, if you think of me as your partner, welcome him back just as you would welcome me. 18 If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to my account. 19 Here, I will write this with my own hand: I, Paul, will pay you back (I should not have to remind you, of course, that you owe your very self to me.) 20 So, my brother, please do me this favor for the Lord's sake; as a brother in Christ, cheer me up!
21 I am sure, as I write this, that you will do what I ask—in fact I know that you will do even more. 22 At the same time, get a room ready for me, because I hope that God will answer the prayers of all of you and give me back to you.
Final Greetings
23 (C)Epaphras, who is in prison with me for the sake of Christ Jesus, sends you his greetings, 24 (D)and so do my co-workers Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke.
25 May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.
Footnotes
- Philemon 1:9 the ambassador of Christ Jesus, and at present also a prisoner for his sake; or an old man, and at present a prisoner for the sake of Christ Jesus.
- Philemon 1:11 The Greek name Onesimus means “useful.”
Philemon
Darby Translation
1 Paul, prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timotheus the brother, to Philemon the beloved and our fellow-workman,
2 and to the sister Apphia and to Archippus our fellow-soldier, and to the assembly which [is] in thine house.
3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and [the] Lord Jesus Christ.
4 I thank my God, always making mention of thee at my prayers,
5 hearing of thy love and the faith which thou hast towards the Lord Jesus, and towards all the saints,
6 in such sort that thy participation in the faith should become operative in the acknowledgment of every good thing which is in us towards Christ [Jesus].
7 For we have great thankfulness and encouragement through thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother.
8 Wherefore having much boldness in Christ to enjoin thee what is fitting,
9 for love's sake I rather exhort, being such a one as Paul the aged, and now also prisoner of Jesus Christ.
10 I exhort thee for *my* child, whom I have begotten in [my] bonds, Onesimus,
11 once unserviceable to thee, but now serviceable to thee and to me:
12 whom I have sent back to thee: [but do *thou* receive] him, that is, *my* bowels:
13 whom *I* was desirous of keeping with myself, that for thee he might minister to me in the bonds of the glad tidings;
14 but I have wished to do nothing without thy mind, that thy good might not be as of necessity but of willingness:
15 for perhaps for this reason he has been separated [from thee] for a time, that thou mightest possess him fully for ever;
16 not any longer as a bondman, but above a bondman, a beloved brother, specially to me, and how much rather to thee, both in [the] flesh and in [the] Lord?
17 If therefore thou holdest me to be a partner [with thee], receive him as me;
18 but if he have wronged thee anything or owe anything [to thee], put this to my account.
19 *I* Paul have written [it] with mine own hand; *I* will repay [it]: that I say not to thee that thou owest even thine own self also to me.
20 Yea, brother, *I* would have profit of *thee* in [the] Lord: refresh my bowels in Christ.
21 Being confident of thine obedience, I have written to thee, knowing that thou wilt do even more than I say.
22 But withal prepare me also a lodging; for I hope that I shall be granted to you through your prayers.
23 Epaphras salutes thee, my fellow-prisoner in Christ Jesus;
24 Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow-workmen.
25 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ [be] with your spirit.
ΠΡΟΣ ΦΙΛΗΜΟΝΑ
1881 Westcott-Hort New Testament
1 παυλος δεσμιος χριστου ιησου και τιμοθεος ο αδελφος φιλημονι τω αγαπητω και συνεργω ημων
2 και απφια τη αδελφη και αρχιππω τω συστρατιωτη ημων και τη κατ οικον σου εκκλησια
3 χαρις υμιν και ειρηνη απο θεου πατρος ημων και κυριου ιησου χριστου
4 ευχαριστω τω θεω μου παντοτε μνειαν σου ποιουμενος επι των προσευχων μου
5 ακουων σου την αγαπην και την πιστιν ην εχεις εις τον κυριον ιησουν και εις παντας τους αγιους
6 οπως η κοινωνια της πιστεως σου ενεργης γενηται εν επιγνωσει παντος αγαθου [του] εν ημιν εις χριστον
7 χαραν γαρ πολλην εσχον και παρακλησιν επι τη αγαπη σου οτι τα σπλαγχνα των αγιων αναπεπαυται δια σου αδελφε
8 διο πολλην εν χριστω παρρησιαν εχων επιτασσειν σοι το ανηκον
9 δια την αγαπην μαλλον παρακαλω τοιουτος ων ως παυλος πρεσβυτης νυνι δε και δεσμιος χριστου ιησου
10 παρακαλω σε περι του εμου τεκνου ον εγεννησα εν τοις δεσμοις ονησιμον
11 τον ποτε σοι αχρηστον νυνι δε σοι και εμοι ευχρηστον
12 ον ανεπεμψα σοι αυτον τουτ εστιν τα εμα σπλαγχνα
13 ον εγω εβουλομην προς εμαυτον κατεχειν ινα υπερ σου μοι διακονη εν τοις δεσμοις του ευαγγελιου
14 χωρις δε της σης γνωμης ουδεν ηθελησα ποιησαι ινα μη ως κατα αναγκην το αγαθον σου η αλλα κατα εκουσιον
15 ταχα γαρ δια τουτο εχωρισθη προς ωραν ινα αιωνιον αυτον απεχης
16 ουκετι ως δουλον αλλ υπερ δουλον αδελφον αγαπητον μαλιστα εμοι ποσω δε μαλλον σοι και εν σαρκι και εν κυριω
17 ει ουν με εχεις κοινωνον προσλαβου αυτον ως εμε
18 ει δε τι ηδικησεν σε η οφειλει τουτο εμοι ελλογα
19 εγω παυλος εγραψα τη εμη χειρι εγω αποτισω ινα μη λεγω σοι οτι και σεαυτον μοι προσοφειλεις
20 ναι αδελφε εγω σου οναιμην εν κυριω αναπαυσον μου τα σπλαγχνα εν χριστω
21 πεποιθως τη υπακοη σου εγραψα σοι ειδως οτι και υπερ α λεγω ποιησεις
22 αμα δε και ετοιμαζε μοι ξενιαν ελπιζω γαρ οτι δια των προσευχων υμων χαρισθησομαι υμιν
23 ασπαζεται σε επαφρας ο συναιχμαλωτος μου εν χριστω ιησου
24 μαρκος αρισταρχος δημας λουκας οι συνεργοι μου
25 η χαρις του κυριου ιησου χριστου μετα του πνευματος υμων
Good News Translation® (Today’s English Version, Second Edition) © 1992 American Bible Society. All rights reserved. For more information about GNT, visit www.bibles.com and www.gnt.bible.
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