| New King James Version | King James Bible |
| 1Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our beloved friend and fellow laborer, | 1Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy our brother, unto Philemon our dearly beloved, and fellowlabourer, |
| 2to the beloved Apphia, Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house: | 2And to our beloved Apphia, and Archippus our fellowsoldier, and to the church in thy house: |
| 3Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. | 3Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. |
| 4I thank my God, making mention of you always in my prayers, | 4I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers, |
| 5hearing of your love and faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints, | 5Hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints; |
| 6that the sharing of your faith may become effective by the acknowledgment of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus. | 6That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus. |
| 7For we have great joy and consolation in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother. | 7For we have great joy and consolation in thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother. |
| 8Therefore, though I might be very bold in Christ to command you what is fitting, | 8Wherefore, though I might be much bold in Christ to enjoin thee that which is convenient, |
| 9yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you—being such a one as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ— | 9Yet for love's sake I rather beseech thee, being such an one as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ. |
| 10I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten while in my chains, | 10I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds: |
| 11who once was unprofitable to you, but now is profitable to you and to me. | 11Which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me: |
| 12I am sending him back. You therefore receive him, that is, my own heart, | 12Whom I have sent again: thou therefore receive him, that is, mine own bowels: |
| 13whom I wished to keep with me, that on your behalf he might minister to me in my chains for the gospel. | 13Whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel: |
| 14But without your consent I wanted to do nothing, that your good deed might not be by compulsion, as it were, but voluntary. | 14But without thy mind would I do nothing; that thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly. |
| 15For perhaps he departed for a while for this purpose, that you might receive him forever, | 15For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him for ever; |
| 16no longer as a slave but more than a slave—a beloved brother, especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord. | 16Not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord? |
| 17If then you count me as a partner, receive him as you would me. | 17If thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself. |
| 18But if he has wronged you or owes anything, put that on my account. | 18If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account; |
| 19I, Paul, am writing with my own hand. I will repay—not to mention to you that you owe me even your own self besides. | 19I Paul have written it with mine own hand, I will repay it: albeit I do not say to thee how thou owest unto me even thine own self besides. |
| 20Yes, brother, let me have joy from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in the Lord. | 20Yea, brother, let me have joy of thee in the Lord: refresh my bowels in the Lord. |
| 21Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say. | 21Having confidence in thy obedience I wrote unto thee, knowing that thou wilt also do more than I say. |
| 22But, meanwhile, also prepare a guest room for me, for I trust that through your prayers I shall be granted to you. | 22But withal prepare me also a lodging: for I trust that through your prayers I shall be given unto you. |
| 23Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you, | 23There salute thee Epaphras, my fellowprisoner in Christ Jesus; |
| 24as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow laborers. | 24Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, my fellowlabourers. |
| 25The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen. | 25The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen. |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com. |
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