Philemon
International Children’s Bible
A Slave Becomes a Christian
1 From Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and from Timothy, our brother.
To Philemon, our dear friend and worker with us; 2 to Apphia, our sister; to Archippus, a worker with us; 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 remember you in my prayers. And I always thank my God for you. 5 I hear about the love you have for all God’s holy people and the faith you have in the Lord Jesus. 6 I pray that the faith you share will make you understand every blessing that we have in Christ. 7 My brother, you have shown love to God’s people. You have made them feel happy. This has given me great joy and comfort.
Accept Onesimus as a Brother
8 There is something that you should do. And because of your love in Christ, I feel free to order you to do it. 9 But because I love you, I am asking you instead. I, Paul, am an old man now, and a prisoner for Christ Jesus. 10 I am asking you a favor for my son Onesimus. He became my son while I was in prison. 11 In the past he was useless to you. But now he has become useful for both you and me.
12 I am sending him back to you, and with him I am sending my own heart. 13 I wanted to keep him with me to help me while I am in prison for the Good News. By helping me he would be serving you. 14 But I did not want to do anything without asking you first. Then any favor you do for me will be because you want to do it, not because I forced you to do it.
15 Onesimus was separated from you for a short time. Maybe that happened so that you could have him back forever— 16 not to be a slave, but better than a slave, to be a loved brother. I love him very much. But you will love him even more. You will love him as a man and as a brother in the Lord.
17 If you think of me as your friend, then accept Onesimus back. Welcome him as you would welcome me. 18 If Onesimus has done anything wrong to you, charge that to me. If he owes you anything, charge that to me. 19 I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand. I will pay back anything Onesimus owes. And I will say nothing about what you owe me for your own life. 20 So, my brother, I ask that you do this for me in the Lord. Comfort my heart in Christ. 21 I write this letter, knowing that you will do what I ask you and even more.
22 Also, please prepare a room for me to stay in. I hope that God will answer your prayers and I will be able to come to you.
Final Greetings
23 Epaphras is a prisoner with me for Christ Jesus. He sends greetings to you. 24 And also Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke send greetings. They are workers together with me.
25 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.
Philemon
New King James Version
Greeting
1 Paul, a (A)prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,
To Philemon our beloved friend and fellow laborer, 2 to [a]the beloved Apphia, (B)Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house:
3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Philemon’s Love and Faith
4 (C)I thank my God, making mention of you always in my prayers, 5 (D)hearing of your love and faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints, 6 that the sharing of your faith may become effective (E)by the acknowledgment of (F)every good thing which is in [b]you in Christ Jesus. 7 For we [c]have great [d]joy and [e]consolation in your love, because the [f]hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother.
The Plea for Onesimus
8 Therefore, though I might be very bold in Christ to command you what is fitting, 9 yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you—being such a one as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ— 10 I appeal to you for my son (G)Onesimus, whom I have begotten while in my chains, 11 who once was unprofitable to you, but now is profitable to you and to me.
12 I am sending him [g]back. You therefore receive him, that is, my own [h]heart, 13 whom I wished to keep with me, that on your behalf he might minister to me in my chains for the gospel. 14 But without your consent I wanted to do nothing, (H)that your good deed might not be by compulsion, as it were, but voluntary.
15 For perhaps he departed for a while for this purpose, that you might receive him forever, 16 no longer as a slave but more than a slave—a beloved brother, especially to me but how much more to you, both in the (I)flesh and in the Lord.
Philemon’s Obedience Encouraged
17 If then you count me as a partner, receive him as you would me. 18 But if he has wronged you or owes anything, put that on my account. 19 I, Paul, am writing with my own (J)hand. I will repay—not to mention to you that you owe me even your own self besides. 20 Yes, brother, let me have joy from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in the Lord.
21 (K)Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say. 22 But, meanwhile, also prepare a guest room for me, for (L)I trust that (M)through your prayers I shall be granted to you.
Farewell
23 (N)Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you, 24 as do (O)Mark, (P)Aristarchus, (Q)Demas, (R)Luke, my fellow laborers.
25 (S)The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
Footnotes
- Philemon 1:2 NU our sister Apphia
- Philemon 1:6 NU, M us
- Philemon 1:7 NU had
- Philemon 1:7 M thanksgiving
- Philemon 1:7 comfort
- Philemon 1:7 Lit. inward parts, heart, liver, and lungs
- Philemon 1:12 NU back to you in person, that is, my own heart,
- Philemon 1:12 See v. 7.
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
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
