| Holman Christian Standard Bible | International Standard Version |
| 1Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother: To Philemon our dear friend and coworker, | 1From: Paul, a prisoner of the Messiah Jesus, and Timothy our brother. To: Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker, |
| 2to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church that meets in your home. | 2to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house. |
| 3Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. | 3May grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, be yours! |
| 4I always thank my God when I mention you in my prayers, | 4I always thank my God when I mention you in my prayers, |
| 5because I hear of your love and faith toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints. | 5because I keep hearing about your love for all the saints and the faith that you have in the Lord Jesus. |
| 6I pray that your participation in the faith may become effective through knowing every good thing that is in us for the glory of Christ. | 6I pray that your partnership in the faith may become effective as you fully acknowledge every blessing that is ours in the Messiah. |
| 7For I have great joy and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother. | 7For I have received considerable joy and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed, brother, through you. |
| 8For this reason, although I have great boldness in Christ to command you to do what is right, | 8For this reason, although in the Messiah I have complete freedom to order you to do what is proper, |
| 9I appeal to you, instead, on the basis of love. I, Paul, as an elderly man and now also as a prisoner of Christ Jesus, | 9I prefer to make my appeal on the basis of love. I, Paul, as an old man and now a prisoner of the Messiah Jesus, |
| 10appeal to you for my son, Onesimus. I fathered him while I was in chains. | 10appeal to you on behalf of my child Onesimus, whose father I have become during my imprisonment. |
| 11Once he was useless to you, but now he is useful both to you and to me. | 11Once he was useless to you, but now he is very useful both to you and to me. |
| 12I am sending him back to you as a part of myself. | 12As I send him back, it's like I'm coming along with him. |
| 13I wanted to keep him with me, so that in my imprisonment for the gospel he might serve me in your place. | 13I wanted to keep him with me so that he could serve me in your place during my imprisonment for the gospel. |
| 14But I didn't want to do anything without your consent, so that your good deed might not be out of obligation, but of your own free will. | 14Yet I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that your good deed might not be something forced, but voluntary. |
| 15For perhaps this is why he was separated from you for a brief time, so that you might get him back permanently, | 15Perhaps this is why he was separated from you for a while, so that you could have him back forever, |
| 16no longer as a slave, but more than a slave--as a dearly loved brother. He is especially so to me, but even more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord. | 16no longer as a slave but better than a slave—as a dear brother, especially to me, but even more so to you, both as a person and as a believer. |
| 17So if you consider me a partner, accept him as you would me. | 17So if you consider me a partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. |
| 18And if he has wronged you in any way, or owes you anything, charge that to my account. | 18If he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge it to my account. |
| 19I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it--not to mention to you that you owe me even your own self. | 19I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand: I will repay it. (I will not mention to you that you owe me your very life.) |
| 20Yes, brother, may I have joy from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ. | 20Yes, brother, I desire this favor from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in the Messiah! |
| 21Since I am confident of your obedience, I am writing to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say. | 21Confident of your obedience, I am writing to you because I know that you will do even more than I ask. |
| 22But meanwhile, also prepare a guest room for me, for I hope that through your prayers I will be restored to you. | 22Meanwhile, prepare a guest room for me, too, for I am hoping through your prayers to be returned to you. |
| 23Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you, and so do | 23Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in the Messiah Jesus, sends you greetings, |
| 24Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my coworkers. | 24as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers. |
| 25The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. | 25May the grace of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah, be with your spirit! Amen. |
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