Philemon 1:1-13 ▼

1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timotheus the brother, to Philemon our beloved and fellow-worker,

2 and Apphia the beloved, and Archippus our fellow-soldier, and the assembly in your house:

3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!

4 I give thanks to my God, always making mention of you in my prayers,

5 hearing of your love and faith that you have to the Lord Jesus and toward all the holy ones,

6 that the fellowship of your faith may become working in the full knowledge of every good thing that [is] in you toward Christ Jesus;

7 for we have much joy and comfort in your love, because the yearnings of the holy ones have been refreshed through you, brother.

8 For this reason, having in Christ much boldness to command you that which is fit—

9 because of the love I rather plead, being such a one as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ;

10 I beg you concerning my child—whom I begot in my bonds—Onesimus,

11 who once was to you unprofitable, and now is profitable to me and to you,

12 whom I sent again to you—he who is my own heart,

13 whom I intended to retain to myself, that in your behalf he might minister to me in the bonds of the good news,