Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our
brother, to Philemon our beloved and fellow-worker,
and to Apphia our sister, and to Archippus our
fellow-soldier, and to the church in thy house:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and
the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God always,
making mention of thee in my prayers, hearing of
thy love, and of the faith which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and
toward all the saints; that the fellowship of thy
faith may become effectual, in the knowledge of every good thing which is
in you, unto Christ. For I had much joy and
comfort in thy love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed
through thee, brother. Wherefore, though I have
all boldness in Christ to enjoin thee that which is befitting,
yet for love's sake I rather beseech, being such
a one as Paul the aged, and now a prisoner also of Christ Jesus:
I beseech thee for my child, whom I have
begotten in my bonds, Onesimus, who once was
unprofitable to thee, but now is profitable to thee and to me:
whom I have sent back to thee in his own person,
that is, my very heart: whom I would fain have
kept with me, that in thy behalf he might minister unto me in the bonds of
the gospel: but without thy mind I would do
nothing; that thy goodness should not be as of necessity, but of free
will. For perhaps he was therefore parted
from thee for a season, that thou shouldest have him for ever;
no longer as a servant, but more than a servant,
a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much rather to thee, both in
the flesh and in the Lord. If then thou countest
me a partner, receive him as myself. But if he
hath wronged the at all, or oweth thee aught, put that to mine
account; I Paul write it with mine own hand, I
will repay it: that I say not unto thee that thou owest to me even thine
own self besides. Yea, brother, let me have joy
of thee in the Lord: refresh my heart in Christ.
Having confidence in thine obedience I write
unto thee, knowing that thou wilt do even beyond what I say.
But withal prepare me also a lodging: for I hope
that through your prayers I shall be granted unto you.
Epaphras, my fellow-prisoner in Christ Jesus,
saluteth thee; and so do Mark,
Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow-workers. The
grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
HTML generated 17 October 2002.
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