Philemon 1:1-16 ▼

1 Paul a prisoner of Iesus Christ, and our brother Timotheus, vnto Philemon our deare friende, and fellowe helper,

2 And to our deare sister Apphia, and to Archippus our fellowe souldier, and to the Church that is in thine house:

3 Grace be with you, and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Iesus Christ.

4 I giue thanks to my God, making mention alwaies of thee in my praiers,

5 (When I heare of thy loue & faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Iesus, and towarde all Saintes)

6 That the fellowship of thy faith may bee made effectuall, and that whatsoeuer good thing is in you through Christ Iesus, may be knowen.

7 For we haue great ioy and consolation in thy loue, because by thee, brother, the Saintes bowels are comforted.

8 Wherefore, though I bee very bolde in Christ to commaunde thee that which is conuenient,

9 Yet for loues sake I rather beseeche thee, though I be as I am, euen Paul aged, and euen nowe a prisoner for Iesus Christ.

10 I beseeche thee for my sonne Onesimus, whome I haue begotten in my bondes,

11 Which in times past was to thee vnprofitable, but nowe profitable both to thee and to me,

12 Whome I haue sent againe: thou therefore receiue him, that is mine owne bowels,

13 Whom I woulde haue reteined with mee, that in thy steade he might haue ministred vnto me in the bondes of the Gospel.

14 But without thy minde woulde I doe nothing, that thy benefite should not be as it were of necessitie, but willingly.

15 It may be that he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receiue him for euer,

16 Not now as a seruant, but aboue a seruant, euen as a brother beloued, specially to me: howe much more then vnto thee, both in the flesh and in the Lord?