✧1Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our beloved fellow worker, ✧2to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and 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, remembering you in my prayers, ✧5because I hear about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints. ✧6I pray that your partnership in the faith may become effective as you fully acknowledge every good thing that is ours in Christ. ✧7I take great joy and encouragement in your love, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints. ✧8So although in Christ I am bold enough to order you to do what is proper,
Berean Standard Bible (BSB). Berean Standard Bible (BSB). Dedicated to the public domain by the rights holder.
I prefer to appeal on the basis of love. For I, Paul, am now aged, and a prisoner of Christ Jesus as well.
✧10I appeal to you for my child Onesimus, whose father I became while I was in chains.
✧11Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.
✧12I am sending back to you him who is my very heart.
✧13I would have liked to keep him with me, so that on your behalf he could minister to me in my chains for the gospel.
✧14But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that your goodness will not be out of compulsion, but by your own free will.
✧15For perhaps this is why he was separated from you for a while, so that you might have him back for good—
✧16no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a beloved brother. He is especially beloved to me, but even more so to you, both in person and in the Lord.
✧17So if you consider me a partner, receive him as you would receive me.
✧18But if he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge it to my account.
✧19I, Paul, write this with my own hand. I will repay it—not to mention that you owe me your very self.
✧20Yes, brother, let me have some benefit from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ.
✧21Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask.
✧22In the meantime, prepare a guest room for me, because I hope that through your prayers I will be restored to you.
✧23Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you greetings,
✧24as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.
✧25The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.