Philemon

Tap any verse to comment or suggest a better wording.

¹This letter is from Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and from Timothy our brother. It is to Philemon, our dear friend who works with us, ²to Apphia our sister, and to Archippus, who fights beside us like a soldier. It is also to the church that meets at your house. ³Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. ⁴I always thank my God when I remember you in my prayers. ⁵That's because I keep hearing about your faith in the Lord Jesus. I hear about your love for all of God's people too. ⁶I pray that the faith we share will be active and do its work. I pray this will happen as you come to fully know every good thing that is ours in Christ. ⁷Your love has given me great joy and comfort. That's because you, my brother, have refreshed the hearts of God's people. ⁸So, even though in Christ I'm bold enough to order you to do what is right, ⁹But I'd rather ask you because of love. I, Paul, am an old man now. And I'm also a prisoner of Christ Jesus. ¹⁰I'm asking you to help my child Onesimus. I became like a father to him while I was in chains. ¹¹Before, he was useless to you. But now he has become useful to both you and me.a ¹²I'm sending him back to you. He is my very heart. ¹³I would have liked to keep him here with me. Then he could serve me in your place while I'm in chains for the good news. ¹⁴But I didn't want to do anything unless you agreed. That way, the good you do won't be forced. It will be because you chose it freely. ¹⁵Maybe this is why he was taken away from you for a little while. It was so you could have him back forever. ¹⁶He will be with you no longer as a slave, but as more than a slave. He will be a dear brother. He is very dear to me. But he is even dearer to you, both as a man and in the Lord. ¹⁷So if you think of me as your partner, welcome him the way you would welcome me. ¹⁸If he has wronged you in any way, or if he owes you anything, charge it to me. ¹⁹I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand. I will pay it back. And I won't even mention that you owe me your very life. ²⁰Yes, my brother, let me get some benefit from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ. ²¹I'm sure you will obey, so I'm writing to you. I know you will do even more than I ask. ²²In the meantime, get a guest room ready for me. That's because I hope that through your prayers I will be given back to you. ²³Epaphras sends you his greetings. He is in prison with me for Christ Jesus. ²⁴Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke send greetings too. They work with me. ²⁵May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.