Philemon
Tree of Life Version
Greetings to a House Group
1 Paul, a prisoner of Messiah Yeshua, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon our beloved and fellow worker.
2 To Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the community that meets in your house:
3 Grace to you and shalom from God our Father and the Lord Messiah Yeshua!
Thanks for Love and Comfort
4 I thank my God always when mentioning you in my prayers, 5 hearing of your love and the trust you have toward the Lord Yeshua and all the kedoshim. 6 May the fellowship of your faith become effective, with the recognition of all the good that is ours in Messiah. 7 For I’ve received much joy and comfort in your love, brother, because the hearts of the kedoshim have been refreshed through you.
Request for Philemon’s Runaway
8 Therefore, though I have plenty of boldness in Messiah to order you to do what’s right, 9 yet for love’s sake I appeal to you instead. I, Paul, am an old man and now also a prisoner belonging to Messiah Yeshua. 10 I beg you for my child Onesimus—for whom I became a spiritual father while in chains. 11 He once was useless to you, but now is useful both to you and me. 12 I sent him back to you—he is my very heart. 13 I really wanted to keep him with me, so that on your behalf he might serve me while I am in chains for the Good News. 14 But I didn’t want to do anything without your consent, so that your goodness wouldn’t be by force but by free will.
15 For perhaps he was separated from you for a while in order that you might have him back forever, 16 no longer as a slave but more than a slave—as a beloved brother, especially to me but even more so to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.
17 So if you consider me a partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. 18 But if he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge that to my account. 19 I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand: I will repay. (Not to mention that you owe me your very self.) 20 Yes, brother, let me have some benefit from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Messiah.
Added Request and Farewell
21 Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than what I say. 22 At the same time also, prepare a guest room for me—for I hope that through your prayers I will be given back to you. 23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Messiah Yeshua, greets you. 24 So do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers. 25 May the grace of our Lord Messiah Yeshua be with your spirit. Amen.
Philemon
Common English Bible
Greeting
1 From Paul, who is a prisoner for the cause of Christ Jesus, and our brother Timothy.
To Philemon our dearly loved coworker, 2 Apphia our sister, Archippus our fellow soldier, and the church that meets in your house.
3 May the grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
Paul’s prayer for Philemon
4 Philemon, I thank my God every time I mention you in my prayers 5 because I’ve heard of your love and faithfulness, which you have both for the Lord Jesus and for all God’s people. 6 I pray that your partnership in the faith might become effective by an understanding of all that is good among us in Christ. 7 I have great joy and encouragement because of your love, since the hearts of God’s people are refreshed by your actions, my brother.
Paul’s appeal for Onesimus
8 Therefore, though I have enough confidence in Christ to command you to do the right thing, 9 I would rather appeal to you through love. I, Paul—an old man, and now also a prisoner for Christ Jesus— 10 appeal to you for my child Onesimus. I became his father in the faith during my time in prison. 11 He was useless to you before, but now he is useful to both of us. 12 I’m sending him back to you, which is like sending you my own heart. 13 I considered keeping him with me so that he might serve me in your place during my time in prison because of the gospel. 14 However, I didn’t want to do anything without your consent so that your act of kindness would occur willingly and not under pressure. 15 Maybe this is the reason that Onesimus was separated from you for a while so that you might have him back forever— 16 no longer as a slave but more than a slave—that is, as a dearly loved brother. He is especially a dearly loved brother to me. How much more can he become a brother to you, personally and spiritually in the Lord!
17 So, if you really consider me a partner, welcome Onesimus as if you were welcoming me. 18 If he has harmed you in any way or owes you money, charge it to my account. 19 I, Paul, will pay it back to you (I’m writing this with my own hand). Of course, I won’t mention that you owe me your life.
20 Yes, brother, I want this favor from you in the Lord! Refresh my heart in Christ. 21 I’m writing to you, confident of your obedience and knowing that you will do more than what I ask. 22 Also, one more thing—prepare a guest room for me. I hope that I will be released from prison to be with you because of your prayers.
Final greeting
23 Epaphras, who is in prison with me for the cause of Christ Jesus, greets you, 24 as well as my coworkers Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke.
25 May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible