Philemon 1:1-13 ▼

1 Paul a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy a brother, to Philemon our beloved brother and fellow-laborer, and to the beloved Apphia,

2 and to Archippus our fellow-soldier, and to the church in thine house,

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

4 I thank my God always making mention of thee in my prayers,

5 (hearing of the faith which thou hast towards the Lord Jesus, and of thy love to all the saints,)

6 that the communication of thy faith may become effectual in the acknowledgement of all the good that is in you towards Christ Jesus:

7 for we have much joy and comfort in thy love, because by thee, dear brother, the bowels of the saints are refreshed.

8 Wherefore though I have sufficient authority in Christ to enjoin thee what is meet,

9 I would rather intreat thee out of love to me, being such a one as Paul the aged, and now a prisoner too for the sake of Jesus Christ.

10 I intreat thee then for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds,

11 who was formerly unprofitable to thee, but now profitable both to thee and to me; whom I have sent back to thee:

12 him therefore, as my own bowels, do thou receive.

13 Whom I would gladly have kept with me, that he might have ministered unto me as thou wouldst have done, in the bonds of the gospel.