1 Paul, prisoner of Jesus Christ, and brother Timothy, to beloved Philemon, our fellow worker,
2 and to beloved sister Appia, and to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church that is in your house:
3 Grace to you and peace, God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
4 I thank my God, always remembering you in my prayers,
5 because I hear of the love and faith that you have towards the Lord Jesus, and towards all the saints;
6 so that the sharing of your faith may be effective in knowing all the good that is in you through Christ Jesus.
7 For we have great joy and consolation in your love, because through you, O brother, the hearts of the saints have been comforted.
8 Therefore, although I have much freedom in Christ to command you what is appropriate,
9 rather I pray to you out of love, being as I am, Paul, now an old man, and now, moreover, a prisoner of Jesus Christ;
10 I pray to you for my son Onesimus, whom I begot in my prisons,
11 who once was useless to you, but now is useful to you and to me,
12 whom I am sending to you again; You therefore receive him as yourself.
13 I would like to keep him with me, so that in your place he might serve me in my prisons for the gospel;
14 But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that your favor would not be a necessity, but voluntary.
15 For perhaps for this purpose he departed from you for a time, that you might receive him forever;
16 no longer as a slave, but as more than a slave, as a beloved brother, especially for me, but how much more for you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.
17 Therefore, if you have me as a companion, welcome him as myself.
18 And if he has harmed you in any way, or owes you anything, charge it to me.
19 I Paul write it with my hand, I will pay it; Not to tell you that even you yourself owe me too.
20 Yes, brother, may I profit from you in the Lord; comfort my heart in the Lord.
21 I have written to you trusting in your obedience, knowing that you will do even more than what I tell you.
22 Also prepare lodging for me; because I hope that through your prayers it will be granted to you.
23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner for Christ Jesus, greets you,
24 Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke, my collaborators.
25 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
