Philemon 1

NEW JERUSALEM	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
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 fellow laborer,
2 our sister Apphia, our fellow soldier Archippus and the church that meets in your house.	2 and to Apphia, most beloved sister, and to Archippus, our fellow soldier, and to the church which is in your house.
3 Grace and the peace of God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.	3 Grace and peace to you, 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 keeping remembrance of you 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 (for I am hearing of your charity and faith, which you have in the Lord Jesus and with 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 so that the participation of your faith may become evident by the recognition of every good work which 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 found great joy and consolation in your charity, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother.
8 Therefore, although in Christ I have no hesitations about telling you what your duty is,	8 Because of this, I have enough confidence in Christ Jesus to command you concerning certain things,
9 I am rather appealing to your love, being what I am, Paul, an old man, and now also a prisoner ofChrist Jesus.	9 but I beg you instead, for the sake of charity, since you are so much like Paul: an old man and now also a prisoner 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 beg you, on behalf of my son, whom I have begotten in my chains, Onesimus.
11 He was of no use to you before, but now he is useful both to you and to me.	11 In times past, he was useless to you, but now he is useful both to me and to you.
12 I am sending him back to you -- that is to say, sending you my own heart.	12 So I have sent him back to you. And may you receive him like my own heart.
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 I myself wanted to retain him with me, so that he might minister to me, on your behalf, while I am in the chains 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 I was willing to do nothing without your counsel, so as not to make use of your good deed as if out of necessity, but only willingly.
15 I suppose you have been deprived of Onesimus for a time, merely so that you could have him backfor ever,	15 So perhaps, then, he departed from you for a time, so that you might receive him again for eternity,
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 no longer as a servant, but, in place of a servant, a most beloved brother, especially to me: but how much so more to you, 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 Therefore, if you hold me to be a companion, receive him as you would me.
18 if he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, put it down to my account.	18 But if he has harmed you in any way, or if he is in your debt, charge it to me.
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 this with my own hand: I will repay. And I need not tell you, that you are also in debt yourself, to me.
20 Wel then, brother, I am counting on you, in the Lord; set my heart at rest, in Christ.	20 So it is, brother. May I delight with you in the Lord! Refresh my heart in Christ.
21 I am writing with complete confidence in your compliance, sure that you wil do even more than I ask.	21 I have written to you, trusting in your obedience, knowing, too, that you will do even more than what 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 also, at once, prepare a lodging for me. For I am hoping, through your prayers, to present myself to you.
23 Epaphras, a prisoner with me in Christ Jesus, sends his greetings;	23 Greet Epaphras, my fellow captive in Christ Jesus,
24 so do my fellow-workers Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke.	24 and Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my helpers.
25 May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.	25 May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.