Philemon 1:9-25 ▼

9 for love's sake I rather exhort, being such a one as Paul the aged, and now also prisoner of Jesus Christ.

10 I exhort thee for my child, whom I have begotten in [my] bonds, Onesimus,

11 once unserviceable to thee, but now serviceable to thee and to me:

12 whom I have sent back to thee: [but do thou receive] him, that is, my bowels:

13 whom I was desirous of keeping with myself, that for thee he might minister to me in the bonds of the glad tidings;

14 but I have wished to do nothing without thy mind, that thy good might not be as of necessity but of willingness:

15 for perhaps for this reason he has been separated [from thee] for a time, that thou mightest possess him fully for ever;

16 not any longer as a bondman, but above a bondman, a beloved brother, specially to me, and how much rather to thee, both in [the] flesh and in [the] Lord?

17 If therefore thou holdest me to be a partner [with thee], receive him as me;

18 but if he have wronged thee anything or owe anything [to thee], put this to my account.

19 I Paul have written [it] with mine own hand; I will repay [it]: that I say not to thee that thou owest even thine own self also to me.

20 Yea, brother, I would have profit of thee in [the] Lord: refresh my bowels in Christ.

21 Being confident of thine obedience, I have written to thee, knowing that thou wilt do even more than I say.

22 But withal prepare me also a lodging; for I hope that I shall be granted to you through your prayers.

23 Epaphras salutes thee, my fellow-prisoner in Christ Jesus;

24 Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow-workmen.

25 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ [be] with your spirit.