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
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Greeting
Paul,(A) a prisoner(B) of Christ Jesus,(C) and Timothy(D) our brother:
To Philemon our dear friend and coworker, 2 to Apphia our sister,[a] to Archippus(E) our fellow soldier,(F) and to the church that meets in your home.(G)
3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Philemon’s Love and Faith
4 I always thank my God when I mention you in my prayers, 5 because I hear of your love(H) and faith toward[b] the Lord Jesus and for all the saints. 6 I pray that your participation in the faith may become effective(I) through knowing every good thing(J) that is in us[c] for the glory of Christ. 7 For I have great joy and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed(K) through you, brother.
An Appeal for Onesimus
8 For this reason, although I have great boldness in Christ to command you to do what is right, 9 I appeal to you, instead, on the basis of love. I, Paul, as an elderly man[d] and now also as a prisoner(L) of Christ Jesus, 10 appeal to you for my son,(M) Onesimus.[e](N) I fathered[f](O) him while I was in chains. 11 Once he was useless to you, but now he is useful both to you and to me. 12 I am sending him back to you as a part of myself.[g][h] 13 I wanted to keep him with me, so that in my imprisonment for the gospel he might serve me in your place. 14 But I didn’t want to do anything without your consent, so that your good deed might not be out of obligation, but of your own free will. 15 For perhaps this is why he was separated from you for a brief time, so that you might get him back permanently, 16 no longer as a slave, but more than a slave—as a dearly loved brother. He is especially so to me, but even more to you, both in the flesh(P) and in the Lord.[i](Q)
17 So if you consider me a partner, accept(R) him as you would me. 18 And if he has wronged you in any way, or owes you anything, charge that to my account.(S) 19 I, Paul, write this with my own hand:(T) I will repay it—not to mention to you that you owe me even your own self. 20 Yes, brother, may I have joy from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ. 21 Since I am confident of your obedience, I am writing to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say. 22 But meanwhile, also prepare a guest room for me, for I hope that through your prayers I will be restored to you.
Final Greetings
23 Epaphras,(U) my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you, and so do 24 Mark,(V) Aristarchus,(W) Demas, and Luke,(X) my coworkers.
25 The grace of the Lord[j](Y) Jesus Christ be with your spirit.(Z)
Footnotes
- Philemon 1:2 Other mss read our beloved
- Philemon 1:5 Lit faith that you have toward
- Philemon 1:6 Other mss read in you
- Philemon 1:9 Or an ambassador
- Philemon 1:10 In Gk, Onesimus means useful.
- Philemon 1:10 Referring to the fact that Paul led him to Christ; 1Co 4:15
- Philemon 1:12 Other mss read him back. Receive him as a part of myself.
- Philemon 1:12 Lit you—that is, my inward parts
- Philemon 1:16 Both physically and spiritually
- Philemon 1:25 Other mss read our Lord
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.
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