Philemon 1:1-10 ▼

1 Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother: To Philemon our dearly-loved fellow labourer--

2 and to our sister Apphia and our comrade Archippus--as well as to the Church in your house.

3 May grace be granted to you all, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

4 I give continual thanks to my God while making mention of you, my brother, in my prayers,

5 because I hear of your love and of the faith which you have towards the Lord Jesus and which you manifest towards all God's people;

6 praying as I do, that their participation in your faith may result in others fully recognizing all the right affection that is in us toward Christ.

7 For I have found great joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of God's people have been, and are, refreshed through you, my brother.

8 Therefore, though I might with Christ's authority speak very freely and order you to do what is fitting,

9 it is for love's sake that--instead of that--although I am none other than Paul the aged, and am now also a prisoner for Christ Jesus,

10 I entreat you on behalf of my own child whose father I have become while in my chains--I mean Onesimus.