1From Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon, our dear fellow worker,
2to our dear Apphia, to Archippus, our fellow soldier, and to the church that meets in your house:
3May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.
4I always thank my God when I mention you in my prayers,
5because I hear about your love and the faith you have in the Lord Jesus and for all of God's people.
6I pray that your shared faith will become effective as you understand every good thing that is in us in Christ Jesus.
7Your love has brought us great joy and encouragement, brother, because you have refreshed the hearts of God's people.
8Therefore, even though in Christ I could boldly order you to do what is right,
9yet because of love, I prefer to appeal to you. I, Paul, am an old man and now also a prisoner for Christ Jesus.
10I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, whose father I have become while in prison.
11In the past he was useless to you, but now he is useful to both you and me.
12I am sending him back to you, and with him goes my own heart.
13I wanted to keep him with me so that he could serve me in your place while I am in prison for the Good News.
14But I didn't want to do anything without your consent, so that your kindness would be freely given and not forced.
15Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a while was so that you could have him back forever,
16no longer as a slave, but better than a slave—as a dear brother. He is especially dear to me, but even more so to you, both as a person and as a fellow believer in the Lord.
17So, if you consider me a 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.
19I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand: I will repay it. (I won't even mention that you owe me your very self.)
20Yes, brother, let me have this joy from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in the Lord.
21I am confident that you will obey, so I am writing to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask.
22Also, please get a guest room ready for me, because I hope that God will send me back to you in answer to your prayers.
23Epaphras, who is in prison with me for serving Christ Jesus, sends you his greetings.
24So do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.
25May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.