GodsWord - Philemon - 1

1:1  From Paul, who is a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and our brother Timothy. To our dear coworker Philemon,

1:2  our sister Apphia, our fellow soldier Archippus, and the church that meets in your house.

1:3  Good will and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ are yours!

1:4  Philemon, I always thank my God when I mention you in my prayers because

1:5  I hear about your faithfulness to the Lord Jesus and your love for all of God's people.

1:6  As you share the faith you have in common with others, I pray that you may come to have a complete knowledge of every blessing we have in Christ.

1:7  Your love for God's people gives me a lot of joy and encouragement. You, brother, have comforted God's people.

1:8  Christ makes me bold enough to order you to do the right thing.

1:9  However, I would prefer to make an appeal on the basis of love. I, Paul, as an old man and now a prisoner for Christ Jesus,

1:10  appeal to you for my child Onesimus Useful. I became his spiritual father here in prison.

1:11  Once he was useless to you, but now he is very useful to both of us.

1:12  I am sending him back to you. This is like sending you a part of myself.

1:13  I wanted to keep him here with me. Then he could have served me in your place while I am in prison for spreading the Good News.

1:14  Yet, I didn't want to do anything without your consent. I want you to do this favor for me out of your own free will without feeling forced to do it.

1:15  Maybe Onesimus was gone for a while so that you could have him back forever--

1:16  no longer as a slave but better than a slave--as a dear brother. He is especially dear to me, but even more so to you, both as a person and as a Christian.

1:17  If you think of me as your partner, welcome him as you would welcome me.

1:18  If he wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge it to me.

1:19  I, Paul, promise to pay it back. I'm writing this with my own hand. I won't even mention that you owe me your life.

1:20  So, because we're brothers in the Lord, do something for me. Give me some comfort because of Christ.

1:21  I am confident as I write to you that you will do this. And I know that you will do even more than I ask.

1:22  One more thing--have a guest room ready for me. I hope that, because of your prayers, God will give me back to you.

1:23  Epaphras, who is a prisoner because of Christ Jesus like I am,

1:24  and my coworkers Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke send you greetings.

1:25  The good will of our Lord Jesus Christ be yours.