Greeting
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Paul, 1a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and 2Timothy our brother, To Philemon our beloved fellow worker
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6Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Philemon's Love and Faith
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7I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers,
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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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So if you consider me 26your partner, receive him as you would receive me.
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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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Yes, brother, I want some benefit from you in the Lord. 28Refresh my heart in Christ.
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29Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say.
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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
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39The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.
(English Standard Version - The Holy Bible Online)