Passage Resources Hebrew/Greek Your Content
Previous Next
Add parallel Print Page Options Listen to Philemon
Close CSB

Philemon
Christian Standard Bible

Greeting

1 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) for all the saints and the faith that you have in the Lord Jesus. 6 I pray that your participation in the faith may become effective(I) through knowing every good thing(J) that is in us[b] 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[c] and now also as a prisoner(L) of Christ Jesus, 10 appeal to you for my son,(M) Onesimus.[d](N) I became his father(O) 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—I am sending my very own heart.[e][f] 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 how much more to you, both in the flesh(P) and in the Lord.(Q)

17 So if you consider me a partner, welcome(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 very self. 20 Yes, brother, may I benefit 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 Meanwhile, also prepare a guest room for me, since I hope that through your prayers I will be restored to you.

Final Greetings

23 Epaphras,(U) my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you greetings, and so do 24 Mark,(V) Aristarchus,(W) Demas, and Luke,(X) my coworkers.

25 The grace of the Lord[g](Y) Jesus Christ be with your spirit.(Z)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 2 Other mss read our beloved
  2. 6 Other mss read in you
  3. 9 Or an ambassador
  4. 10 In Gk, Onesimus means “useful”
  5. 12 Other mss read him back. Receive him, my own heart.
  6. 12 Lit you—that is, my own heart
  7. 25 Other mss read our Lord
Close ISV

Philemon
International Standard Version

Greetings

1 From:[a] Paul, a prisoner of the Messiah[b] Jesus, and Timothy our brother.

To: Philemon our dear friend[c] and fellow worker, 2 to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house.

3 May grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus, the Messiah,[d] be yours![e]

Paul’s Prayer for Philemon

4 I always thank my God when I mention you[f] in my prayers, 5 because I keep hearing about your love for all the saints and the faith that you have in the Lord Jesus. 6 I pray[g] that your partnership in the faith may become effective as you fully acknowledge every blessing that is ours[h] in the Messiah.[i] 7 For I have received considerable joy and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed, brother, through you.

Paul’s Plea for Onesimus

8 For this reason, although in the Messiah[j] I have complete freedom to order you to do what is proper, 9 I prefer to make my appeal on the basis of love. I, Paul, as an old man and now a prisoner of the Messiah[k] Jesus, 10 appeal to you on behalf of my child Onesimus, whose father I have become during my imprisonment. 11 Once he was useless to you, but now he is very useful[l] both to you and to me. 12 As I send him back, it’s like I’m coming along with him.[m] 13 I wanted to keep him with me so that he could serve me in your place during my imprisonment for the gospel. 14 Yet I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that your good deed might not be something forced, but voluntary. 15 Perhaps this is why he was separated from you for a while, so that you could have him back forever, 16 no longer as a slave but better than a slave—as a dear brother, especially to me, but even more so to you, both as a person and as a believer.[n]

17 So if you consider me a partner, welcome him as you would welcome[o] me. 18 If he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge it to my account. 19 I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand: I will repay it. (I will not mention to you that you owe me your very life.) 20 Yes, brother, I desire this favor from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in the Messiah![p] 21 Confident of your obedience, I am writing to you because I know that you will do even more than I ask. 22 Meanwhile, prepare a guest room for me, too, for I am hoping through your prayers to be returned to you.

Greetings from Paul’s Fellow Workers

23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in the Messiah[q] Jesus, sends you[r] greetings, 24 as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers. 25 May the grace of our[s] Lord Jesus, the Messiah,[t] be with your spirit! Amen.[u]

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Philemon 1:1 The Gk. lacks From
  2. Philemon 1:1 Or Christ
  3. Philemon 1:1 Or our beloved Philemon
  4. Philemon 1:3 Or Christ
  5. Philemon 1:3 The Gk. yours is pl.
  6. Philemon 1:4 From verse 4 through v. 21, you and your are sing.
  7. Philemon 1:6 The Gk. lacks I pray
  8. Philemon 1:6 Other mss. read yours (pl.)
  9. Philemon 1:6 Or Christ
  10. Philemon 1:8 Or Christ
  11. Philemon 1:9 Or Christ
  12. Philemon 1:11 The Gk. name Onesimus means useful
  13. Philemon 1:12 Lit. back, it’s with my innards
  14. Philemon 1:16 Or both in the flesh and in the Lord
  15. Philemon 1:17 The Gk. lacks you would welcome
  16. Philemon 1:20 Or Christ
  17. Philemon 1:23 Or Christ
  18. Philemon 1:23 The Gk. you is sing.
  19. Philemon 1:25 Other mss. read the
  20. Philemon 1:25 Or Christ
  21. Philemon 1:25 Other mss. lack Amen.
Next
Titus 3
Hebrews 1
Next
dropdown
Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.

International Standard Version (ISV)

Copyright © 1995-2014 by ISV Foundation. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. Used by permission of Davidson Press, LLC.

ISV Bible