Greeting
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Paul, 1a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and 2Timothy our brother, To Philemon our beloved fellow worker
Philemon's Love and Faith
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because I 8hear of your love and 9of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints,
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and I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full 10knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ.a
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For I have derived much joy and 11comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints 12have been refreshed through you.
Paul's Plea for Onesimus
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yet for love's sake I prefer to appeal to you--I, Paul, an old man and now 15a prisoner also for Christ Jesus--
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(Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me.)
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I am sending him back to you, sending my very heart.
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I would have been glad to keep him with me, in order that he might serve me 19on your behalf 20during my imprisonment for the gospel,
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but I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your goodness might not be 21by compulsion but of your own accord.
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For this perhaps is why 22he was parted from you for a while, that you might have him back forever,
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23no longer as a slavec but more than a slave, as 24a beloved brother--especially to me, but how much more to you, 25both in the flesh and in the Lord.
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If he has wronged you at all, or owes you anything, charge that to my account.
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27I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it--to say nothing of your owing me even your own self.
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At the same time, prepare a guest room for me, for 30I am hoping that 31through your prayers 32I will be graciously given to you.
Final Greetings
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.
(English Standard Version - The Holy Bible Online)