Philemon 1v1Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon, our dear helper in the faith,Philemon 1v2And to Apphia, our sister, and to Archippus, our brother in God's army, and to the church in your house:Philemon 1v3Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.Philemon 1v4I give praise to God at all times and make prayer for you,Philemon 1v5Hearing of the love and the faith which you have to the Lord Jesus and to all the saints;Philemon 1v6That the faith which you have in common with them may be working with power, in the knowledge of every good thing in you, for Christ.Philemon 1v7For I had great joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been made strong again through you, brother.Philemon 1v8And so, though I might, in the name of Christ, give you orders to do what is right,Philemon 1v9Still, because of love, in place of an order, I make a request to you, I, Paul, an old man and now a prisoner of Christ Jesus:Philemon 1v10My request is for my child Onesimus, the child of my chains,Philemon 1v11Who in the past was of no profit to you, but now is of profit to you and to me:Philemon 1v12Whom I have sent back to you, him who is my very heart:Philemon 1v13Though my desire was to keep him with me, to be my servant in the chains of the good news, in your place:Philemon 1v14But without your approval I would do nothing; so that your good works might not be forced, but done freely from your heart.Philemon 1v15For it is possible that for this reason he was parted from you for a time, so that you might have him for ever;Philemon 1v16No longer as a servant, but more than a servant, a brother, very dear to me specially, but much more to you, in the flesh as well as in the Lord.Philemon 1v17If then you take me to be your friend and brother, take him in as myself.Philemon 1v18Philemon 1v19Philemon 1v20Philemon 1v21Philemon 1v22Philemon 1v23Philemon 1v24Philemon 1v25The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. So be it.
