Philemon 4-13

English Standard Version

Philemon's Love and Faith

^4 (A)I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers, ⁵ because I ^(B)hear of your love and ^(C)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 ^(D)knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ.^{[a] 7} For I have derived much joy and ^(E)comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints ^(F)have been refreshed through you.

Paul's Plea for Onesimus

⁸ Accordingly, ^(G)though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do ^(H)what is required, ⁹ yet for love's sake I prefer to appeal to you—I, Paul, an old man and now ^(I)a prisoner also for Christ Jesus— ¹⁰ I appeal to you for ^(J)my child, ^(K)Onesimus,^{[b] (L)}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 ^(M)on your behalf ^(N)during my imprisonment for the gospel,