1:1 Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Phile'mon our beloved fellow worker
1:1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our dear friend and co-worker,

1:2 and Ap'phia our sister and Archip'pus our fellow soldier, and the church in your house:
1:2 to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house:

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

1:4 I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers,
1:4 When I remember you in my prayers, I always thank my God

1:5 because I hear of your love and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and all the saints,
1:5 because I hear of your love for all the saints and your faith toward the Lord Jesus.

1:6 and I pray that the sharing of your faith may promote the knowledge of all the good that is ours in Christ.
1:6 I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective when you perceive all the good that we may do for Christ.

1:7 For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you.
1:7 I have indeed received much joy and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, my brother.

1:8 Accordingly, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do what is required,
1:8 For this reason, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do your duty,

1:9 yet for love's sake I prefer to appeal to you -- I, Paul, an ambassador and now a prisoner also for Christ Jesus --
1:9 yet I would rather appeal to you on the basis of love--and I, Paul, do this as an old man, and now also as a prisoner of Christ Jesus.

1:10 I appeal to you for my child, Ones'imus, whose father I have become in my imprisonment.
1:10 I am appealing to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I have become during my imprisonment.

1:11 (Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me.)
1:11 Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful both to you and to me.

1:12 I am sending him back to you, sending my very heart.
1:12 I am sending him, that is, my own heart, back to you.

1:13 I would have been glad to keep him with me, in order that he might serve me on your behalf during my imprisonment for the gospel;
1:13 I wanted to keep him with me, so that he might be of service to me in your place during my imprisonment for the gospel;

1:14 but I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your goodness might not be by compulsion but of your own free will.
1:14 but I preferred to do nothing without your consent, in order that your good deed might be voluntary and not something forced.

1:15 Perhaps this is why he was parted from you for a while, that you might have him back for ever,
1:15 Perhaps this is the reason he was separated from you for a while, so that you might have him back forever,

1:16 no longer as a slave but more than a slave, as a beloved brother, especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.
1:16 no longer as a slave but more than a slave, a beloved brother--especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.

1:17 So if you consider me your partner, receive him as you would receive me.
1:17 So if you consider me your partner, welcome him as you would welcome me.

1:18 If he has wronged you at all, or owes you anything, charge that to my account.
1:18 If he has wronged you in any way, or owes you anything, charge that to my account.

1:19 I, Paul, write this with my own hand, I will repay it -- to say nothing of your owing me even your own self.
1:19 I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand: I will repay it. I say nothing about your owing me even your own self.

1:20 Yes, brother, I want some benefit from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ.
1:20 Yes, brother, let me have this benefit from you in the Lord! Refresh my heart in Christ.

1:21 Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say.
1:21 Confident of your obedience, I am writing to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say.

1:22 At the same time, prepare a guest room for me, for I am hoping through your prayers to be granted to you.
1:22 One thing more--prepare a guest room for me, for I am hoping through your prayers to be restored to you.

1:23 Ep'aphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends greetings to you,
1:23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends greetings to you,

1:24 and so do Mark, Aristar'chus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.
1:24 and so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.

1:25 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.
1:25 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.