1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon, our beloved fellow worker, 2 to the beloved Apphia, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the assembly in your house: 3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

4 I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers, 5 hearing of your love and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints, 6 that the fellowship of your faith may become effective in the knowledge of every good thing which is in us in Christ Jesus. 7 For we have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.

8 Therefore though I have all boldness in Christ to command you that which is appropriate, 9 yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you, being such a one as Paul, the aged, but also a prisoner of Jesus Christ. 10 I appeal to you for my child Onesimus, whom I have become the father of in my chains, 11 who once was useless to you, but now is useful to you and to me. 12 I am sending him back. Therefore receive him, that is, my own heart, 13 whom I desired to keep with me, that on your behalf he might serve me in my chains for the Good News. 14 But I was willing to do nothing without your consent, that your goodness would not be as of necessity, but of free will. 15 For perhaps he was therefore separated from you for a while that you would have him forever, 16 no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother—especially to me, but how much rather to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.

17 If then you count me a partner, receive him as you would receive me. 18 But if he has wronged you at all or owes you anything, put that to my account. 19 I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it (not to mention to you that you owe to me even your own self besides). 20 Yes, brother, let me have joy from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in the Lord.

21 Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even beyond what I say.

22 Also, prepare a guest room for me, for I hope that through your prayers I will be restored to you.

23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you, 24 as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.

25 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

1 Paulus, 'n gevangene van Christus Jesus, en die broeder Timothes, aan Fil,mon, die geliefde en ons medearbeider,

2 en aan Appia, die geliefde suster, en aan Arch¡ppus, ons medestryder, en aan die gemeente wat in jou huis is:

3 Genade vir julle en vrede van God onse Vader en die Here Jesus Christus!

4 Ek dank my God altyd wanneer ek aan jou in my gebede dink,

5 omdat ek van jou liefde en geloof hoor, wat jy met betrekking tot die Here Jesus en al die heiliges het,

6 dat die gemeenskap van jou geloof kragtig mag word deur die kennis van alles wat goed in julle is, tot eer van Christus Jesus.

7 Want ons het groot blydskap en troos oor jou liefde, omdat deur jou, broeder, die harte van die heiliges verkwik is.

8 Daarom, al het ek baie vrymoedigheid in Christus om jou te beveel wat betaamlik is,

9 pleit ek liewer ter wille van die liefde. Ek, Paulus, as 'n ou man en nou ook 'n gevangene van Jesus Christus,

10 pleit by jou vir my kind, On,simus, wat ek verwek het in my boeie,

11 wat vroeër vir jou nutteloos was, maar nou baie nuttig vir jou en vir my. Ek stuur hom terug;

12 maar neem jy hom, dit is my eie hart, aan.

13 Ek wou hom by my hou, sodat hy my in die boeie van die evangelie in jou plek kan dien.

14 Maar sonder jou goedkeuring wou ek niks doen nie, sodat jou goedheid nie uit dwang sou wees nie, maar uit vrye keuse.

15 Want miskien is hy om hierdie rede 'n tydjie van jou geskei, dat jy hom vir altyd kan besit,

16 nie meer as 'n slaaf nie, maar m,,r as 'n slaaf, as 'n geliefde broeder in die vlees sowel as in die Here, veral vir my, hoeveel te meer vir jou.

17 As jy my dan vir 'n metgesel hou, neem hom aan net soos vir my.

18 En as hy jou benadeel het of iets skuld, sit dit op my rekening --

19 ek, Paulus, het dit met my eie hand geskrywe: ek sal betaal -- om nie te sê jou rekening nie, want jy is daarby jou eie persoon ook aan my verskuldig.

20 Ja, broeder, mag ek tog van jou voordeel trek in die Here! Verkwik my hart in die Here.

21 In vertroue op jou gehoorsaamheid het ek aan jou geskrywe, omdat ek weet dat jy nog meer sal doen as wat ek sê.

22 En berei tegelykertyd ook herberg vir my, want ek hoop dat ek op julle gebede aan julle sal geskenk word.

23 pafras, my medegevangene in Christus Jesus, groet jou;

24 ook Markus, Arist rchus, Demas en Lukas, my mede-arbeiders.

25 Die genade van onse Here Jesus Christus sy met julle gees! Amen.