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, Kristuse Jeesuse vang ja vend Timoteos armsale Fileemonile, meie kaastöölisele
2 ja armsale õele Appiale ja Arhipposele, meie kaasvõitlejale, ja sinu majasse kogunevale kogudusele.
3 Armu teile ja rahu Jumalalt, meie Isalt, ja Issandalt Jeesuselt Kristuselt!
4 Ma tänan alati oma Jumalat, kui ma mõtlen sinule oma palveis;
5 sest ma kuulen sinu armastusest ja usust, mis sul on Issanda Jeesuse poole ja kõigi pühade vastu,
6 et su usu ühendus minuga saaks vägevaks kõige hea tunnetamises, mis meis on Kristuse kohta.
7 Sest mul oli palju rõõmu ja troosti sinu armastusest, sest et pühade südamed on kosutatud sinu läbi, vend.
8 Sellepärast, kuigi mul on Kristuses palju julgust sind käskida, mida tuleb teha,
9 ma siiski armastuse pärast pigemini palun sind, olles, mis ma olen, vana Paulus, ja nüüd pealegi Kristuse Jeesuse vang.
10 Ma palun sind oma poja Oneesimose pärast, kelle ma sünnitasin ahelais olles ja
11 kes kord oli sinule kasutu, aga nüüd on sinule ja minule väga kasulik; tema ma läkitan sulle tagasi,
12 tema, see on, mu oma südame!
13 Ma oleksin tahtnud teda pidada enese juures, et ta sinu asemel oleks abiks mulle, kes olen ahelais evangeeliumi pärast.
14 Kuid ilma sinu nõustuseta ma ei tahtnud midagi teha, et sinu heategu ei näiks olevat sunnitud, vaid on vabatahtlik.
15 Sest ta oligi vist sellepärast mõneks ajaks eraldatud sinust, et sa teda saaksid pidada igavesti,
16 mitte kui orja, vaid rohkem kui orja, kui armast venda, iseäranis minule armast, kui palju enam sinule niihästi liha poolest kui Issandas.
17 Kui sa nüüd mind pead oma kaaslaseks, siis võta ta vastu kui mind ennast.
18 Aga kui ta sulle on teinud mingit ülekohut või kui tal on võlgu sinuga, siis pane see minu arvele.
19 Mina, Paulus, olen seda kirjutanud ise oma käega: „Mina maksan!" Ma seda ei ütlegi, et sa iseenesegi oled mulle võlgu.
20 Jah, vend, mina tahaksin, et mul sinust oleks kasu Issandas! Kosuta mu südant Kristuses!
21 Veendunud olles sinu sõnakuulmises, kirjutan sulle. Ma tean, et sa teed veel enamgi kui ma ütlen.
22 Ühtlasi valmista mulle paik küllatulekuks, sest ma loodan, et mind teie palvete kaudu teile tagasi kingitakse.
23 Sind tervitavad Epafras, mu kaasvang Kristuses Jeesuses,
24 Markus, Aristarhos, Deemas, Luukas, minu kaastöölised.
25 Meie Issanda Jeesuse Kristuse arm olgu teie vaimuga!