Chapter 1
1 Paul , a prisoner of Christ Jesus , and Timothy our brother, to Philemon , our beloved fellow worker ,
2 to the beloved Apphia, to Archippus our fellow soldier , and to the assembly in your house :
3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ .
4 I thank my God always , making mention of you in my prayers ,
5 hearing of your love and of the faith which you have towards the Lord Jesus and towards all the saints,
6 that the fellowship of your faith may become effective in the knowledge of every good thing which is in us in Christ Jesus .
7 For we have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you , brother.
8 Therefore though I have all boldness in Christ to command you that which is appropriate,
9 yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you , being such a one as Paul , the aged , but also a prisoner of Jesus Christ .
10 I appeal to you for my child Onesimus , whom I have become the father of in my chains ,
11 who once was useless to you , but now is useful to you and to me .
12 I am sending him back. Therefore receive him , that is , my own heart ,
13 whom I desired to keep with me , that on your behalf he might serve me in my chains for the Good News .
14 But I was willing to do nothing without your consent , that your goodness would not be as of necessity, but of free will .
15 For perhaps he was therefore separated from you for a while that you would have him forever ,
16 no longer as a slave , but more than a slave , a beloved brother— especially to me , but how much rather to you , both in the flesh and in the Lord .
17 If then you count me a partner , receive him as you would receive me .
18 But if he has wronged you at all or owes you anything , put that to my account .
19 I , Paul , write this with my own hand : I will repay it ( not to mention to you that you owe to me even your own self besides ).
20 Yes , brother, let me have joy from you in the Lord . Refresh my heart in the Lord .
21 Having confidence in your obedience , I write to you , knowing that you will do even beyond what I say .
22 Also , prepare a guest room for me , for I hope that through your prayers I will be restored to you .
23 Epaphras , my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus , greets you ,
24 as do Mark , Aristarchus, Demas , and Luke , my fellow workers .
25 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit . Amen.