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Philemon
Worldwide English (New Testament)
Philemon
Worldwide English (New Testament)
1 I am Paul. I am in prison because I belong to Christ Jesus. Our brother Timothy and I send greetings to you, Philemon. We love you very much. And you work with us.
2 We also send greetings to our sister Apphia; to Archippus who is worker in God's army as we are; and to the people who meet as a church in your house.
3 May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ bless you in their kindness and give you peace.
4 I always thank my God when I talk to him about you.
5 I have heard that you love all of God's people and that you believe in our Lord Jesus Christ.
6 You believe as I do. I ask God that he may help you to know more and more of every good thing that we have in Christ.
7 My brother, your love made me very glad and it comforted my heart. I know that God's people were glad because you loved them.
8 Because I am Christ's apostle, I could tell you what you must do.
9 But because I love you, I would rather not tell you, but ask you to do this for me. I, Paul, am an old man and now I am in prison because I belong to Jesus Christ.
10 I am asking you to do something for my son. He became a Christian here in prison. This son is Onesimus.
11 At one time he was no help to you. But now he is a big help to you and to me.
12 I am sending him back to you and it is like sending you my own heart.
13 I would like to keep him with me. He can help me while I am in prison for the sake of the good news. That would be just as if you were here to help me.
14 But I did not want to do anything unless you agreed. I did not want you to do this because you were forced to do it, but because you wanted to do it.
15 Maybe it was good for him to be away from you for a while. Now you will have him with you for ever.
16 Now he is not like a slave who must work for you. He is better than a slave. He is a Christian brother and you will love him. I love him very much. But you will love him even more because he belongs to you and he is a Christian.
17 So if you think of me as a real friend, take him back just as you would take me back.
18 If he has done you any wrong, or if he owes you a debt, then ask me to pay it.
19 I, Paul, write this with my own hand. I will repay it. I do not need to tell you that you have your life because of what I did for you.
20 Yes, my brother, give me some help in the Lord. Make me happy in Christ.
21 I believe that you will do what I ask you to do. And so I am writing to you. I know that you will do even more than I ask you to do.
22 At the same time, please make a place ready for me to stay. I know you are asking God to set me free, so I believe he will let me come to see you.
23 Epaphras is in prison with me for the sake of Christ Jesus. He sends greetings to you.
24 Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke are working with me. They all send greetings too.
25 May the loving kindness of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen! May it be so!
Philemon
New International Version
Philemon
New International Version
1 Paul, a prisoner(A) of Christ Jesus, and Timothy(B) our brother,(C)
To Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker(D)— 2 also to Apphia our sister and Archippus(E) our fellow soldier(F)—and to the church that meets in your home:(G)
3 Grace and peace to you[a] from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.(H)
Thanksgiving and Prayer
4 I always thank my God(I) as I remember you in my prayers,(J) 5 because I hear about your love for all his holy people(K) and your faith in the Lord Jesus.(L) 6 I 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. 7 Your love has given me great joy and encouragement,(M) because you, brother, have refreshed(N) the hearts of the Lord’s people.
Paul’s Plea for Onesimus
8 Therefore, although in Christ I could be bold and order you to do what you ought to do, 9 yet I prefer to appeal to you(O) on the basis of love. It is as none other than Paul—an old man and now also a prisoner(P) of Christ Jesus— 10 that I appeal to you for my son(Q) Onesimus,[b](R) who became my son while I was in chains.(S) 11 Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.
12 I am sending him—who is my very heart—back to you. 13 I would have liked to keep him with me so that he could take your place in helping me while I am in chains(T) for the gospel. 14 But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that any favor you do would not seem forced(U) but would be voluntary. 15 Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back forever— 16 no longer as a slave,(V) but better than a slave, as a dear brother.(W) He is very dear to me but even dearer to you, both as a fellow man and as a brother in the Lord.
17 So if you consider me a partner,(X) welcome him as you would welcome me. 18 If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me.(Y) 19 I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand.(Z) I will pay it back—not to mention that you owe me your very self. 20 I do wish, brother, that I may have some benefit from you in the Lord; refresh(AA) my heart in Christ. 21 Confident(AB) of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask.
22 And one thing more: Prepare a guest room for me, because I hope to be(AC) restored to you in answer to your prayers.(AD)
23 Epaphras,(AE) my fellow prisoner(AF) in Christ Jesus, sends you greetings. 24 And so do Mark,(AG) Aristarchus,(AH) Demas(AI) and Luke, my fellow workers.(AJ)
25 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.(AK)
Footnotes
- Philemon 1:3 The Greek is plural; also in verses 22 and 25; elsewhere in this letter “you” is singular.
- Philemon 1:10 Onesimus means useful.
Worldwide English (New Testament) (WE)
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New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.