Book of Common Prayer

He rejoices to hear of the faith and love of Philemon, whom he asks to forgive his servant Onesimus, and lovingly to receive him back.

¹ Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ, and brother Timothy.

To Philemon the beloved and our helper, ² and to the beloved Apphia, and to Archippus our fellow-soldier, and to the congregation of your house.

³ Grace be with you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

⁴ I thank my God, making mention always of you in my prayers, ⁵ when I hear of the love and faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all the saints, ⁶ so that the fellowship that you have in the faith is fruitful through the knowledge of all good things, which are in you by Jesus Christ. ⁷ And we have great joy and consolation over your love. For by you, brother, the saints’ hearts are comforted.

⁸ Therefore, though I might be bold in Christ to enjoin that which behoves you, ⁹ yet for love’s sake I rather beseech you, though I be as I am, even Paul aged, and now in bonds for Jesus Christ’s sake. ¹⁰ I beseech you for my son Onesimus, whom I begat in my bonds – ¹¹ who in time past was unprofitable to you, but is now able to profit both you and also me, ¹² whom I have sent home again. Therefore receive him; that is to say, my own offspring, ¹³ whom I would gladly have retained with me so that on your behalf he could have ministered to me in the bonds of the gospel. ¹⁴ Nevertheless, without your consent I would do nothing, because the good that comes of you should not be, as it were, usurped through circumstance, but willing.

¹⁵ Perhaps he therefore departed for a season so that you would receive him forever, ¹⁶ not now as a servant, but above a servant; I mean a brother beloved, especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and also in the Lord. ¹⁷ If you count me a fellow, receive him as myself. ¹⁸ If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, lay it to my charge. ¹⁹ I, Paul, have written it with my own hand. I will recompense it.

So I do not say to you that you owe to me even your own self. ²⁰ Even so, brother, let me enjoy this fruit from you in the Lord. Comfort my heart in the Lord.

²¹ Trusting in your willingness, I have written to you, knowing that you will do more than I say. ²² Moreover, prepare a room for me. For I trust that through the help of your prayers, I shall be given to you.

²³ Epaphras, my fellow-prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends greetings to you, ²⁴ as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my helpers.

²⁵ The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirits. Amen.

Sent from Rome by the hands
of Onesimus,
a servant.

⁹ A great many of the Jews learned that he was there, and they went to Bethany, not for Jesus’ sake only, but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from death. ¹⁰ The high priests therefore held a council, how they could put Lazarus to death also, ¹¹ because on his account many of the Jews went away and believed on Jesus.

¹² On the next day, many people who had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, ¹³ took branches of palm trees and went and met him, and cried, Hosanna! Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord, the king of Israel! ¹⁴ And Jesus got a young donkey and sat on it, according to that which was written: ¹⁵ Fear not, daughter of Zion. Behold, your king comes, sitting on a donkey’s colt.

¹⁶ These things his disciples did not understand at the first. But when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that such things were written of him, and that people had done such things to him.

¹⁷ The people that had been with Jesus when he called Lazarus out of his grave and raised him from death were speaking about it. ¹⁸ Therefore the crowd met him, because they heard that he had done such a miracle. ¹⁹ The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, See how we are accomplishing nothing? Look, the world is going away after him.