Philemon
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Salutation
1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,
To our beloved coworker Philemon,(A) 2 to our[a] sister Apphia, to our fellow soldier Archippus, and to the church in your[b] house:(B)
3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Philemon’s Love and Faith
4 I thank my God always when I mention you[c] in my prayers, 5 because I hear of your love for all the saints and your faith toward the Lord Jesus.(C) 6 I pray that the partnership of your faith may become effective as you comprehend all the good that we[d] share in Christ.[e] 7 I have[f] indeed received much joy and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, my brother.(D)
Paul’s Plea for Onesimus
8 For this reason, though I am more than bold enough in Christ to command you to do the right thing, 9 yet I would rather appeal to you on the basis of love—and I, Paul, do this as an old man and now also as a prisoner of Christ Jesus.[g] 10 I am appealing to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I have become during my imprisonment.(E) 11 Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful[h] to[i] you and to me. 12 I am sending him, that is, my own heart, back to you.[j] 13 I wanted to keep him with me so that he might minister to me in your place during my imprisonment for the gospel,(F) 14 but I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your good deed might be voluntary and not something forced.(G) 15 Perhaps this is the reason he was separated from you for a while, so that you might have him back for the long term, 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 flesh and in the Lord.(H)
17 So if you consider me your partner, welcome him as you would welcome me.(I) 18 If he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge that to me. 19 I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand: I will repay it. I say nothing about your owing me even your own self. 20 Yes, brother, let me have this benefit from you in the Lord! Refresh my heart in Christ.[k] 21 Confident of your obedience, I am writing to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask.(J)
22 One thing more: prepare a guest room for me, for I am hoping through your prayers to be restored to you.(K)
Final Greetings and Benediction
23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends greetings to you,[l](L) 24 and so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my coworkers.(M)
25 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.[m](N)
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 2 Other ancient authorities add beloved
- 2 Gk your is singular
- 4 In verses 4–21, you is singular
- 6 Other ancient authorities read you (plural)
- 6 Other ancient authorities add Jesus
- 7 Other ancient authorities read we have
- 9 Or as an ambassador of Christ Jesus, and now also his prisoner
- 11 The name Onesimus means useful or beneficial
- 11 Other ancient authorities read both to
- 12 Other ancient authorities read you; receive him
- 20 Other ancient authorities read in the Lord
- 23 Here you is singular
- 25 Other ancient authorities add Amen
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.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 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
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
