| English Standard Version | New International Version |
| 1Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our beloved fellow worker | 1Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker-- |
| 2and Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow soldier, and the church in your house: | 2also to Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow soldier--and to the church that meets in your home: |
| 3Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. | 3Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. |
| 4I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers, | 4I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, |
| 5because I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints, | 5because I hear about your love for all his holy people and your faith in the Lord Jesus. |
| 6and 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. | 6I pray that your partnership with us in the faith may be effective in deepening your understanding of every good thing we share for the sake of Christ. |
| 7For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you. | 7Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the Lord's people. |
| 8Accordingly, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do what is required, | 8Therefore, although in Christ I could be bold and order you to do what you ought to do, |
| 9yet for love’s sake I prefer to appeal to you—I, Paul, an old man and now a prisoner also for Christ Jesus— | 9yet I prefer to appeal to you on the basis of love. It is as none other than Paul--an old man and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus-- |
| 10I appeal to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I became in my imprisonment. | 10that I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, who became my son while I was in chains. |
| 11(Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me.) | 11Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me. |
| 12I am sending him back to you, sending my very heart. | 12I am sending him--who is my very heart--back to you. |
| 13I 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, | 13I would have liked to keep him with me so that he could take your place in helping me while I am in chains for the gospel. |
| 14but I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your goodness might not be by compulsion but of your own accord. | 14But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that any favor you do would not seem forced but would be voluntary. |
| 15For this perhaps is why he was parted from you for a while, that you might have him back forever, | 15Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back forever-- |
| 16no longer as a bondservant but more than a bondservant, as a beloved brother—especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord. | 16no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother. He is very dear to me but even dearer to you, both as a fellow man and as a brother in the Lord. |
| 17So if you consider me your partner, receive him as you would receive me. | 17So if you consider me a partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. |
| 18If he has wronged you at all, or owes you anything, charge that to my account. | 18If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me. |
| 19I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it—to say nothing of your owing me even your own self. | 19I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand. I will pay it back--not to mention that you owe me your very self. |
| 20Yes, brother, I want some benefit from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ. | 20I do wish, brother, that I may have some benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ. |
| 21Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say. | 21Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask. |
| 22At the same time, prepare a guest room for me, for I am hoping that through your prayers I will be graciously given to you. | 22And one thing more: Prepare a guest room for me, because I hope to be restored to you in answer to your prayers. |
| 23Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends greetings to you, | 23Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you greetings. |
| 24and so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers. | 24And so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke, my fellow workers. |
| 25The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. | 25The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. |
| ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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