Philemon 1

NEW JERUSALEM	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 From Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus and from our brother Timothy; to our dear fel ow workerPhilemon,	1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy, a brother: to Philemon, our beloved and fellow labourer;
2 our sister Apphia, our fellow soldier Archippus and the church that meets in your house.	2 And to Appia, our dearest sister, and to Archippus, our fellow soldier, and to the church which is in thy house:
3 Grace and the peace of God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.	3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
4 I always thank my God, mentioning you in my prayers,	4 I give thanks to my God, always making a remembrance of thee in my prayers.
5 because I hear of the love and the faith which you have for the Lord Jesus and for al God's holypeople.	5 Hearing of thy charity and faith, which thou hast in the Lord Jesus, and towards all the saints:
6 I pray that your fel owship in faith may come to expression in ful knowledge of all the good we can dofor Christ.	6 That the communication of thy faith may be made evident in the acknowledgment of every good work, that is in you in Christ Jesus.
7 I have received much joy and encouragement by your love; you have set the hearts of God's holypeople at rest.	7 For I have had great joy and consolation in thy charity, because the bowels of the saints have been refreshed by thee, brother.
8 Therefore, although in Christ I have no hesitations about telling you what your duty is,	8 Wherefore though I have much confidence in Christ Jesus, to command thee that which is to the purpose:
9 I am rather appealing to your love, being what I am, Paul, an old man, and now also a prisoner ofChrist Jesus.	9 For charity sake I rather beseech, whereas thou art such a one, as Paul an old man, and now a prisoner also of Jesus Christ.
10 I am appealing to you for a child of mine, whose father I became while wearing these chains: I meanOnesimus.	10 I beseech thee for my son, whom I have begotten in my bands, Onesimus,
11 He was of no use to you before, but now he is useful both to you and to me.	11 Who hath been heretofore unprofitable to thee, but now is profitable both to me and thee,
12 I am sending him back to you -- that is to say, sending you my own heart.	12 Whom I have sent back to thee. And do thou receive him as my own bowels.
13 I should have liked to keep him with me; he could have been a substitute for you, to help me while Iam in the chains that the gospel has brought me.	13 Whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead he might have ministered to me in the bands of the gospel:
14 However, I did not want to do anything without your consent; it would have been forcing your act ofkindness, which should be spontaneous.	14 But without thy counsel I would do nothing: that thy good deed might not be as it were of necessity, but voluntary.
15 I suppose you have been deprived of Onesimus for a time, merely so that you could have him backfor ever,	15 For perhaps he therefore departed for a season from thee, that thou mightest receive him again for ever:
16 no longer as a slave, but something much better than a slave, a dear brother; especial y dear to me,but how much more to you, both on the natural plane and in the Lord.	16 Not now as a servant, but instead of a servant, a most dear brother, especially to me: but how much more to thee both in the flesh and in the Lord?
17 So if you grant me any fel owship with yourself, welcome him as you would me;	17 If therefore thou count me a partner, receive him as myself.
18 if he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, put it down to my account.	18 And if he hath wronged thee in any thing, or is in thy debt, put that to my account.
19 I am writing this in my own hand: I, Paul, shal pay it back -- I make no mention of a further debt, thatyou owe your very self to me!	19 I Paul have written it with my own hand: I will repay it: not to say to thee, that thou owest me thy own self also.
20 Wel then, brother, I am counting on you, in the Lord; set my heart at rest, in Christ.	20 Yea, brother. May I enjoy thee in the Lord. Refresh my bowels in the Lord.
21 I am writing with complete confidence in your compliance, sure that you wil do even more than I ask.	21 Trusting in thy obedience, I have written to thee: knowing that thou wilt also do more than I say.
22 There is another thing: wil you get a place ready for me to stay in? I am hoping through your prayersto be restored to you.	22 But withal prepare me also a lodging. For I hope that through your prayers I shall be given unto you.
23 Epaphras, a prisoner with me in Christ Jesus, sends his greetings;	23 There salute thee Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus;
24 so do my fellow-workers Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke.	24 Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke my fellow labourers.
25 May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.	25 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.