Philemon 1

Greeting

1 Paul, *ver. 9;See Eph. 3:1a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and *See 1 Thess. 3:2Timothy our brother,

To Philemon our beloved fellow worker 2 and Apphia our sister and *Col. 4:17Archippus our *Phil. 2:25fellow soldier, and *See Rom. 16:5the church in your house:

3 *See Rom. 1:7Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Philemon’s Love and Faith

4 *See Rom. 1:8,9I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers, 5 because I *Col. 1:4hear of your love and *Eph. 1:15of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints, 6 and I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full *Phil. 1:9;Col. 1:9knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ.*6 Or for Christ’s service7 For I have derived much joy and *[2 Cor. 7:4,13;Col. 4:11] comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints *ver. 20;2 Tim. 1:16;[Rom. 15:32;2 Cor. 7:13]have been refreshed through you.

Paul’s Plea for Onesimus

8 Accordingly, *[1 Thess. 2:6] though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do *Eph. 5:4what is required, 9 yet for love’s sake I prefer to appeal to you—I, Paul, an old man and now *ver. 1a prisoner also for Christ Jesus— 10 I appeal to you for *See 3 John 4my child, *Col. 4:9Onesimus,*10 Onesimus means useful (see verse 11) or beneficial (see verse 20)*ver. 13;1 Cor. 4:15;[Gal. 4:19]whose father I became in my imprisonment. 11 (Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me.) 12 I am sending him back to you, sending my very heart. 13 I would have been glad to keep him with me, in order that he might serve me *See 1 Cor. 16:17on your behalf *ver. 10;See Phil. 1:7during my imprisonment for the gospel, 14 but I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your goodness might not be *[2 Cor. 9:7;1 Pet. 5:2]by compulsion but of your own accord. 15 For this perhaps is why *[Gen. 45:5,8]he was parted from you for a while, that you might have him back forever, 16 *See 1 Cor. 7:22no longer as a bondservant*16 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface; twice in this verse but more than a bondservant, as *Matt. 23:8;Col. 4:9;1 Tim. 6:2a beloved brother—especially to me, but how much more to you, *Col. 3:22,23;[Eph. 6:5]both in the flesh and in the Lord.

17 So if you consider me *2 Cor. 8:23your partner, receive him as you would receive me. 18 If he has wronged you at all, or owes you anything, charge that to my account. 19 *See 1 Cor. 16:21I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it—to say nothing of your owing me even your own self. 20 Yes, brother, I want some benefit from you in the Lord. *See ver. 7Refresh my heart in Christ.

21 *See 2 Cor. 2:3Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say. 22 At the same time, prepare a guest room for me, for *Phil. 1:25;2:24I am hoping that *See 2 Cor. 1:11through your prayers *[Heb. 13:19]I will be graciously given to you.

Final Greetings

23 *See Col. 1:7Epaphras, my *Rom. 16:7fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends greetings to you, 24 and so do *See Col. 4:10Mark, *See Col. 4:10Aristarchus, *See Col. 4:14;2 Tim. 4:10,11Demas, and *See Col. 4:14;2 Tim. 4:10,11Luke, my fellow workers.

25 *See Gal. 6:18The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.