| New King James Version | New Living Translation |
| 1Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our beloved friend and fellow laborer, | 1This letter is from Paul, a prisoner for preaching the Good News about Christ Jesus, and from our brother Timothy. I am writing to Philemon, our beloved co-worker, |
| 2to the beloved Apphia, Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house: | 2and to our sister Apphia, and to our fellow soldier Archippus, and to the church that meets in your house. |
| 3Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. | 3May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. Paul’s Thanksgiving and Prayer |
| 4I thank my God, making mention of you always in my prayers, | 4I always thank my God when I pray for you, Philemon, |
| 5hearing of your love and faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints, | 5because I keep hearing about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all of God’s people. |
| 6that the sharing of your faith may become effective by the acknowledgment of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus. | 6And I am praying that you will put into action the generosity that comes from your faith as you understand and experience all the good things we have in Christ. |
| 7For we have great joy and consolation in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother. | 7Your love has given me much joy and comfort, my brother, for your kindness has often refreshed the hearts of God’s people. Paul’s Appeal for Onesimus |
| 8Therefore, though I might be very bold in Christ to command you what is fitting, | 8That is why I am boldly asking a favor of you. I could demand it in the name of Christ because it is the right thing for you to do. |
| 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— | 9But because of our love, I prefer simply to ask you. Consider this as a request from me—Paul, an old man and now also a prisoner for the sake of Christ Jesus. |
| 10I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten while in my chains, | 10I appeal to you to show kindness to my child, Onesimus. I became his father in the faith while here in prison. |
| 11who once was unprofitable to you, but now is profitable to you and to me. | 11Onesimus hasn’t been of much use to you in the past, but now he is very useful to both of us. |
| 12I am sending him back. You therefore receive him, that is, my own heart, | 12I am sending him back to you, and with him comes my own heart. |
| 13whom I wished to keep with me, that on your behalf he might minister to me in my chains for the gospel. | 13I wanted to keep him here with me while I am in these chains for preaching the Good News, and he would have helped me on your behalf. |
| 14But without your consent I wanted to do nothing, that your good deed might not be by compulsion, as it were, but voluntary. | 14But I didn’t want to do anything without your consent. I wanted you to help because you were willing, not because you were forced. |
| 15For perhaps he departed for a while for this purpose, that you might receive him forever, | 15It seems you lost Onesimus for a little while so that you could have him back forever. |
| 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. | 16He is no longer like a slave to you. He is more than a slave, for he is a beloved brother, especially to me. Now he will mean much more to you, both as a man and as a brother in the Lord. |
| 17If then you count me as a partner, receive him as you would me. | 17So if you consider me your partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. |
| 18But if he has wronged you or owes anything, put that on my account. | 18If he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge it to me. |
| 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. | 19 I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it. And I won’t mention that you owe me your very soul ! |
| 20Yes, brother, let me have joy from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in the Lord. | 20Yes, my brother, please do me this favor for the Lord’s sake. Give me this encouragement in Christ. |
| 21Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say. | 21I am confident as I write this letter that you will do what I ask and even more! |
| 22But, meanwhile, also prepare a guest room for me, for I trust that through your prayers I shall be granted to you. | 22One more thing—please prepare a guest room for me, for I am hoping that God will answer your prayers and let me return to you soon. Paul’s Final Greetings |
| 23Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you, | 23Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you his greetings. |
| 24as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow laborers. | 24So do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my co-workers. |
| 25The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen. | 25May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
|
