\NormalFont\ShortTitle{Philemon}

{\MT Philemon


\par }\OneChap {\MM \VerseOne{1}Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our beloved fellow worker,


\par }{\MM \VS{2}to Apphia our beloved, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church that meets at your house:


\par }{\MM \VS{3}Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.


\par }{\MM \VS{4}I always thank my God, remembering you in my prayers,


\par }{\MM \VS{5}because I hear about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints.


\par }{\MM \VS{6}I pray that your partnership in the faith may become effective as you fully acknowledge every good thing that is ours in Christ Jesus.


\par }{\MM \VS{7}We take great joy and encouragement in your love, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints.


\par }{\MM \VS{8}So although in Christ I am bold enough to order you to do what is proper,


\par }{\MM \VS{9}I prefer to appeal on the basis of love. For I, Paul, am now aged, and a prisoner of Jesus Christ as well.


\par }{\MM \VS{10}I appeal to you for my child Onesimus, whose father I became while I was in my chains.


\par }{\MM \VS{11}Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.


\par }{\MM \VS{12}I am sending back for you to receive him who is my very heart.


\par }{\MM \VS{13}I would have liked to keep him with me, so that on your behalf he could minister to me in my chains for the gospel.


\par }{\MM \VS{14}But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that your goodness will not be out of compulsion, but by your own free will.


\par }{\MM \VS{15}For perhaps this is why he was separated from you for a while, so that you might have him back for good—


\par }{\MM \VS{16}no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a beloved brother. He is especially beloved to me, but even more so to you, both in person and in the Lord.


\par }{\MM \VS{17}So if you consider me a partner, receive him as you would receive me.


\par }{\MM \VS{18}But if he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge it to my account.


\par }{\MM \VS{19}I, Paul, write this with my own hand. I will repay it—not to mention that you owe me your very self.


\par }{\MM \VS{20}Yes, brother, let me have some benefit from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in the Lord.


\par }{\MM \VS{21}Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask.


\par }{\MM \VS{22}In the meantime, prepare a guest room for me, because I hope that through your prayers I will be restored to you.


\par }{\MM \VS{23}Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you greetings,


\par }{\MM \VS{24}as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.


\par }{\MM \VS{25}The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.


\par }