1:1 Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our beloved fellow worker 1:2 and Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow soldier, and the church 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 when I remember you in my prayers, 1:5 because I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints, 1:6 and I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ. 1:7 For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you. 1:8 Accordingly, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do what is required, 1:9 yet for love's sake I prefer to appeal to you--I, Paul, an old man and now a prisoner also for Christ Jesus-- 1:10 I appeal to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I became in my imprisonment. 1:11 (Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me.) 1:12 I am sending him back to you, sending my very heart. 1:13 I would have been glad to keep him with me, in order that he might serve me on your behalf during my imprisonment for the gospel, 1:14 but I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your goodness might not be by compulsion but of your own accord. 1:15 For this perhaps is why he was parted from you for a while, that you might have him back forever, 1:16 no longer as a slave but more than a slave, as a beloved brother--especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord. 1:17 So if you consider me your partner, receive him as you would receive me. 1:18 If he has wronged you at all, or owes you anything, charge that to my account. 1:19 I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it--to say nothing of your owing me even your own self. 1:20 Yes, brother, I want some benefit from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ. 1:21 Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say. 1:22 At the same time, prepare a guest room for me, for I am hoping that through your prayers I will be graciously given to you. 1:23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends greetings to you, 1:24 and so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers. 1:25 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.