A "Grain Of Wheat" Ministries publication

Translated by David W. Dyer

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The Letter of Paul to Philemon

PHILEMON CHAPTER 1

1:1Paul, a prisoner of the Anointed One, Jesus and Timothy our brother to: Philemon who is beloved and is our co-worker, 1:2to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow-soldier, and to the gathering of the called-out ones in your house. 1:3Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus the Anointed One.

1:4I thank my God always, mentioning you in my prayers, after 1:5hearing about your love and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all those set apart for God. 1:6I pray that the fellowship you have with God through your faith will become increasingly productive through the full understanding of every good thing which Jesus the Anointed One is doing in you.

1:7I had much joy and comfort because of your love since the hearts of those set apart for God have been refreshed through you, brother. 1:8Therefore, even though I have all boldness in the Anointed One to insist that you do that which is right, 1:9yet for love’s sake I plead with you instead, being such a one as Paul the aged and now also a prisoner of the Anointed One, Jesus.

1:10I plead with you on behalf of my child whom I have begotten while in my bonds, Onesimus, 1:11who at one time was unprofitable to you but now is profitable to you and to me. 1:12I have sent him back to you, asking you to receive him with my own feelings of compassion.

1:13I would have preferred to keep him with me so that on your behalf he might minister to me while I am in the chains of the good news message.

1:14But I wouldn’t do anything without your consent so that your good deed would not be from compulsion, but from your own free will. 1:15For perhaps it was for this very reason he left you for a time so that you could receive him forever, 1:16no longer as a slave but more than a slave – as a beloved brother, especially to me but how much more to you, both humanly speaking and in the Lord.

1:17If then you consider me to be a partner, receive him as myself. 1:18But if he has wronged you at all or owes you anything, put that on my account. 1:19I, Paul, write it with my own hand; I will repay it. (Although, even though I shouldn’t mention it, you even owe me yourself).*

*It is possible that Paul says this because Philemon was converted through his evangelistic efforts.

1:20Yes, brother, let me have joy in the Lord because of you. Refresh my heart in the Anointed One. 1:21I write to you having confidence in your obedience to God, knowing that you will do even beyond what I say.

1:22But at the same time prepare me a place to stay also, for I hope that through your prayers I will be allowed to come to you.

1:23Epaphras, my fellow-prisoner in the Anointed One, Jesus, greets you, 1:24as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke who are my co-workers.

1:25The grace of our Lord Jesus the Anointed One be with your spirit. Amen.

Words in this translation found in italics are words which are implied by the Greek text but do not represent actual words in the Greek text. This practice is common in almost all modern translations. Occasionally, this translator has added words to the translation which represent his own ideas and opinions which, although they are based on his own biblical understanding, are not part of the actual Greek text. Such words are enclosed in brackets, like this [ ]. The reader should understand these words as being the opinion of the translator. In contrast to this, the words in these braces { } indicate legitimate, alternative translations or explanations. Words within parentheses () are part of the original Greek text. Such parentheses are often used in other New Testament translations also. 

End of The Letter of Paul to Philemon

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