| 1:1 | From Paul, who is a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and our brother Timothy. To our dear coworker Philemon, |
| 1:2 | our sister Apphia, our fellow soldier Archippus, and the church that meets in your house. |
| 1:3 | Good will and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ are yours! |
| 1:4 | Philemon, I always thank my God when I mention you in my prayers because |
| 1:5 | I hear about your faithfulness to the Lord Jesus and your love for all of God's people. |
| 1:6 | As you share the faith you have in common with others, I pray that you may come to have a complete knowledge of every blessing we have in Christ. |
| 1:7 | Your love for God's people gives me a lot of joy and encouragement. You, brother, have comforted God's people. |
| 1:8 | Christ makes me bold enough to order you to do the right thing. |
| 1:9 | However, I would prefer to make an appeal on the basis of love. I, Paul, as an old man and now a prisoner for Christ Jesus, |
| 1:10 | appeal to you for my child Onesimus [Useful]. I became his spiritual father here in prison. |
| 1:11 | Once he was useless to you, but now he is very useful to both of us. |
| 1:12 | I am sending him back to you. This is like sending you a part of myself. |
| 1:13 | I wanted to keep him here with me. Then he could have served me in your place while I am in prison for spreading the Good News. |
| 1:14 | Yet, I didn't want to do anything without your consent. I want you to do this favor for me out of your own free will without feeling forced to do it. |
| 1:15 | Maybe Onesimus was gone for a while so that you could have him back forever |
| 1:16 | no longer as a slave but better than a slaveas a dear brother. He is especially dear to me, but even more so to you, both as a person and as a Christian. |
| 1:17 | If you think of me as your partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. |
| 1:18 | If he wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge it to me. |
| 1:19 | I, Paul, promise to pay it back. I'm writing this with my own hand. I won't even mention that you owe me your life. |
| 1:20 | So, because we're brothers in the Lord, do something for me. Give me some comfort because of Christ. |
| 1:21 | I am confident as I write to you that you will do this. And I know that you will do even more than I ask. |
| 1:22 | One more thinghave a guest room ready for me. I hope that, because of your prayers, God will give me back to you. |
| 1:23 | Epaphras, who is a prisoner because of Christ Jesus like I am, |
| 1:24 | and my coworkers Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke send you greetings. |
| 1:25 | The good will of our Lord Jesus Christ be yours. |
Filemon 1 - God's Word Translation
