Read New International Version, 2011 Philemon 1 Bible Online

Philemon 1 - New International Version, 2011 bible

Philemon 1

¹Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker —

²also to Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow soldier — and to the church that meets in your home:

³Grace and peace to you [1] from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

⁴I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers,

⁵because I hear about your love for all his holy people and your faith in the Lord Jesus.

⁶I pray that your partnership with us in the faith may be effective in deepening your understanding of every good thing we share for the sake of Christ.

⁷Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the Lord’s people.

⁸Therefore, although in Christ I could be bold and order you to do what you ought to do,

⁹yet I prefer to appeal to you on the basis of love. It is as none other than Paul — an old man and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus —

¹⁰that I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, [2] who became my son while I was in chains.

¹¹Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.

¹²I am sending him — who is my very heart — back to you.

¹³I would have liked to keep him with me so that he could take your place in helping me while I am in chains for the gospel.

¹⁴But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that any favor you do would not seem forced but would be voluntary.

¹⁵Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back forever —

¹⁶no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother. He is very dear to me but even dearer to you, both as a fellow man and as a brother in the Lord.

¹⁷So if you consider me a partner, welcome him as you would welcome me.

¹⁸If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me.

¹⁹I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand. I will pay it back — not to mention that you owe me your very self.

²⁰I do wish, brother, that I may have some benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ.

²¹Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask.

²²And one thing more: Prepare a guest room for me, because I hope to be restored to you in answer to your prayers.

²³Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you greetings.

²⁴And so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke, my fellow workers.

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