1:1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon, our beloved fellow worker,

1:2 to the beloved Apphia, to Archippus, our fellow soldier, and to the assembly in your house:

1:3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

1:4 I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers,

1:5 hearing of your love, and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all the saints;

1:6 that the fellowship of your faith may become effective, in the knowledge of every good thing which is in us, in Christ Jesus.

1:7 For we have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.

1:8 Therefore, though I have all boldness in Christ to command you that which is appropriate,

1:9 yet for love`s sake I rather beg, being such a one as Paul, the aged, and now a prisoner also of Christ Jesus.

1:10 I beg you for my child, whom I have fathered in my bonds, Onesimus,

1:11 who once was useless to you, but now is useful to you and to me;

1:12 I am sending him back. You therefore receive him, that is, my own heart,

1:13 whom I wanted to keep with me, that in your behalf he might minister to me in the bonds of the gospel.

1:14 But I was willing to do nothing without your consent, that your goodness would not be as of necessity, but of free will.

1:15 For perhaps he was therefore separated from you for a while, that you would have him forever,

1:16 no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother, specially to me, but how much rather to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.

1:17 If then you count me a partner, receive him as you would receive me.

1:18 But if he has wronged you at all, or owes you anything, put that to my account.

1:19 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).

1:20 Yes, brother, let me have joy from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in the Lord.

1:21 Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even beyond what I say.

1:22 Also, prepare a guest room for me, for I hope that through your prayers I will be restored to you.

1:23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you,

1:24 as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.