
{1}1{/}

[=]_{R}_{I}1_{/}From Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and from our 
brother Timothy to Philemon, our friend and fellow worker, 
[=]_{I}2_{/}to our dear sister Apphia, to Archippus faithful companion 
in our soldiering, and to all the Church gathered in your house.
{R}_{I}3_{/}Grace and peace be with you from God the Father and Jesus 
Christ the Lord.
{R}_{I}4_{/}I never cease to give thanks to my God when I remember you in 
my prayers, {I}5_{/}for I hear of your love and faith towards the Lord 
and all the holy ones. {I}6_{/}And I pray that the sharing of your 
faith may make known all the good that is ours in Christ. {I}7_{/}I 
had great satisfaction and comfort on hearing of your charity, 
because the hearts of the saints have been cheered by you, 
brother.
{I}8_{/}Because of this, although in Christ I have the freedom to 
command what you should do, {R}_{I}9_{/}yet I prefer to request you in 
love. The one talking is Paul, the old man, now prisoner for 
Christ. [=]_{I}10_{/}And my request is on behalf of Onesimus, whose 
father I have become while I was in prison.
{I}11_{/}This Onesimus has not been helpful to you, but now he will be 
helpful both to you and to me. {I}12_{/}In returning him to you, I am 
sending you my own heart. {I}13_{/}I would have liked to keep him at 
my side, to serve me on your behalf while I am in prison for the 
Gospel, {I}14_{/}but I did not want to do anything without your 
agreement, nor impose a good deed upon you without your free 
consent.
{I}15_{/}Perhaps Onesimus has been parted from you for a while so that 
you may have him back forever, [=]_{I}16_{/}no longer as a slave, but 
better than a slave. For he is a very dear brother to me, and he 
will be even dearer to you. {I}17_{/}And so, because of our 
friendship, receive him as if he were I myself. {I}18_{/}And if he has 
caused any harm, or owes you  anything, charge it to me. {R}_{I}19_{/}I, 
Paul, write this and sign it with my own hand: I will pay it... 
without further mention of your debt to me, which is you yourself. 
{I}20_{/}So, my brother, please do me this favor for the Lord's sake. 
Give me this comfort in Christ.
{I}21_{/}Confident of your obedience I write to you, knowing you will 
do even more than I ask. {R}_{I}22_{/}And one more thing, get a lodging 
ready for me because, thanks to all your prayers, I hope to return 
to you.
[=]_{R}_{I}23_{/}Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends 
greetings. [=]_{I}24_{/}So do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke, my 
assistants.
{I}25_{/}May the grace of the Lord Christ be with you. Amen!

