| International Standard Version | New Living Translation |
| 1From: Paul, a prisoner of the Messiah Jesus, and Timothy our brother. To: Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker, | 1This letter is from Paul, a prisoner for preaching the Good News about Christ Jesus, and from our brother Timothy. I am writing to Philemon, our beloved co-worker, |
| 2to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house. | 2and to our sister Apphia, and to our fellow soldier Archippus, and to the church that meets in your house. |
| 3May grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, be yours! | 3May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. Paul’s Thanksgiving and Prayer |
| 4I always thank my God when I mention you in my prayers, | 4I always thank my God when I pray for you, Philemon, |
| 5because I keep hearing about your love for all the saints and the faith that you have in the Lord Jesus. | 5because I keep hearing about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all of God’s people. |
| 6I pray that your partnership in the faith may become effective as you fully acknowledge every blessing that is ours in the Messiah. | 6And I am praying that you will put into action the generosity that comes from your faith as you understand and experience all the good things we have in Christ. |
| 7For I have received considerable joy and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed, brother, through you. | 7Your love has given me much joy and comfort, my brother, for your kindness has often refreshed the hearts of God’s people. Paul’s Appeal for Onesimus |
| 8For this reason, although in the Messiah I have complete freedom to order you to do what is proper, | 8That is why I am boldly asking a favor of you. I could demand it in the name of Christ because it is the right thing for you to do. |
| 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, | 9But because of our love, I prefer simply to ask you. Consider this as a request from me—Paul, an old man and now also a prisoner for the sake of Christ Jesus. |
| 10appeal to you on behalf of my child Onesimus, whose father I have become during my imprisonment. | 10I appeal to you to show kindness to my child, Onesimus. I became his father in the faith while here in prison. |
| 11Once he was useless to you, but now he is very useful both to you and to me. | 11Onesimus hasn’t been of much use to you in the past, but now he is very useful to both of us. |
| 12As I send him back, it's like I'm coming along with him. | 12I am sending him back to you, and with him comes my own heart. |
| 13I wanted to keep him with me so that he could serve me in your place during my imprisonment for the gospel. | 13I wanted to keep him here with me while I am in these chains for preaching the Good News, and he would have helped me on your behalf. |
| 14Yet I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that your good deed might not be something forced, but voluntary. | 14But I didn’t want to do anything without your consent. I wanted you to help because you were willing, not because you were forced. |
| 15Perhaps this is why he was separated from you for a while, so that you could have him back forever, | 15It seems you lost Onesimus for a little while so that you could have him back forever. |
| 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. | 16He is no longer like a slave to you. He is more than a slave, for he is a beloved brother, especially to me. Now he will mean much more to you, both as a man and as a brother in the Lord. |
| 17So if you consider me a partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. | 17So if you consider me your partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. |
| 18If he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge it to my account. | 18If he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge it to me. |
| 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.) | 19 I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it. And I won’t mention that you owe me your very soul ! |
| 20Yes, brother, I desire this favor from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in the Messiah! | 20Yes, my brother, please do me this favor for the Lord’s sake. Give me this encouragement in Christ. |
| 21Confident of your obedience, I am writing to you because I know that you will do even more than I ask. | 21I am confident as I write this letter that you will do what I ask and even more! |
| 22Meanwhile, prepare a guest room for me, too, for I am hoping through your prayers to be returned to you. | 22One more thing—please prepare a guest room for me, for I am hoping that God will answer your prayers and let me return to you soon. Paul’s Final Greetings |
| 23Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in the Messiah Jesus, sends you greetings, | 23Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you his greetings. |
| 24as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers. | 24So do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my co-workers. |
| 25May the grace of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah, be with your spirit! Amen. | 25May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. |
The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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