Philemon Chapter 1

Salutation

¹ Paul, prisoner of Christ^Messiah Jesus, and brother Timothy, to our dear fellow worker Philemon, ² to sister Apphia, to fellow soldier Archippus, and to your^sg house church. ³ Grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.   Phil 1-3

Paul’s Prayer for Philemon

⁴ I always thank God for you, mentioning you^sg in my prayers, ⁵ because I hear about your love and faith toward the Lord Jesus and all the saints. ⁶ I pray that fellowshiping with your^sg faith will lead to our experiencing everything good for Christ’s sake. ⁷ Brother, I’m so happy and encouraged by your love, because you refresh the hearts of the saints.                                  Phil 4-7

Requesting Freedom for Onesimus

            ⁸ In light of that, I feel bold enough to tell you something that’s appropriate. ⁹ But because I love you, I’d rather ask you to do it—being Paul the aged prisoner of Christ, and all.

¹⁰ I’m appealing to you about my child Onesimus that I begot while I was in bonds. ¹¹ At one time he was useless to you, but now he’s useful to you and to me. ¹² As my own heart, I’ve sent him back to you in person. ¹³ I wanted to keep him here to help me on your behalf while I’m in prison because of the good news. ¹⁴ But I didn’t want to do anything without your consent. I wanted your goodness to be because you wanted to, not because you had to. ^15-16 Maybe he left you for a while so you could have him forever physically and in the Lord, not as a servant, but as a dear brother—to me too.                                                                                                                                   Phil 8-16

Additional Urgings About Onesimus

¹⁷ So if you consider me a partner, accept him as me. ¹⁸ If he has wronged you or owes you anything, charge it to me. ¹⁹ I, Paul, write it with my own hand: I’ll repay it. (I won’t tell you that you also owe me your very self.) ²⁰ Yes, brother, I want to have joy in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ. ²¹ I’m writing, confident that you’ll do more than I’m saying. ²² While you’re at it, prepare^sg a place for me to stay, because I’m hoping by your^pl prayers to be released to you^pl.

Phil 17-22

Greetings

            ²³ Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you^sg greetings. ²⁴ Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke—my fellow workers—greet you as well.

²⁵ The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your^pl spirit.                                      Phil 23-25

Translator: Virgil Warren,                                                                                                 christir.org