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[1]PAUL, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and brother Ti-mo'the-us, unto Phi-le'mon our dearly beloved and our fellow-worker,
[2]And to our beloved Ap'phi-a and Archip'pus our fellow-labourer, and to the congregation in your house:
[3]Grace be with you, and peace, from God our Father and our LORD Jesus Christ.
[4]I thank my God, and always make mention of you in my prayers,
[5]Since I have heard of your faith and love, which you have toward our LORD Jesus, and toward all saints;
[6]That the participation of your faith may bear fruits in works, and in knowledge of everything that is good which you have in Jesus Christ.
[7]For we have great joy and consolation in your love, and the hearts of the saints are refreshed.
[8]For this reason, I have great boldness in Christ, to command of you those things which are right,
[9]And for love's sake I earnestly beseech you; even I, Paul, an old man as you know, and now also a prisoner for the sake of Jesus Christ.
[10]I beseech you on behalf of my son Ones'i- mus, whom I converted during my imprisonment:
[11]But of whom in the past you could not make use, but now he is very useful both to you and to me.
[12]I send him to you again: welcome him as my own boy:
[13]For I would have kept him with me to minister to me in your place during my imprisonment for the gospel:
[14]But I did not wish to do anything without consulting you, that your good deeds might not be done as though by compulsion, but of your own desire.
[15]Perhaps this was the reason why he left you for a while, that you can now engage him for ever;
[16]Henceforth not as a servant, but more than a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, and much more to you, both in the flesh and in our LORD.
[17]Now, therefore, if you still count me a partner, welcome him as you would me.
[18]And if he has caused you any loss, or if he owes you anything, put it on my account:
[19]I, Paul, have written this with my own hand; I will repay it, not reminding you that you owe to me even your own life.
[20]Indeed, my brother, let me have comfort through you in our LORD: refresh my heart in Christ.
[21]Because I have confidence in your obedience, I wrote to you, knowing that you will also do more than I ask.
[22]In addition to all this, prepare me a lodging; for I hope that through your prayers I shall be spared to come to you.
[23]Ep'a-phras, my fellow prisoner in Jesus Christ, salutes you;
[24]So do Mark, Ar-is-tar'chus, De'mas, and Luke, my fellow-workers.
[25]The grace of our LORD Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
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