| Holman Christian Standard Bible | King James Bible |
| 1Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother: To Philemon our dear friend and coworker, | 1Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy our brother, unto Philemon our dearly beloved, and fellowlabourer, |
| 2to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church that meets in your home. | 2And to our beloved Apphia, and Archippus our fellowsoldier, and to the church in thy house: |
| 3Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. | 3Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. |
| 4I always thank my God when I mention you in my prayers, | 4I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers, |
| 5because I hear of your love and faith toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints. | 5Hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints; |
| 6I pray that your participation in the faith may become effective through knowing every good thing that is in us for the glory of Christ. | 6That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus. |
| 7For I have great joy and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother. | 7For we have great joy and consolation in thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother. |
| 8For this reason, although I have great boldness in Christ to command you to do what is right, | 8Wherefore, though I might be much bold in Christ to enjoin thee that which is convenient, |
| 9I appeal to you, instead, on the basis of love. I, Paul, as an elderly man and now also as a prisoner of Christ Jesus, | 9Yet for love's sake I rather beseech thee, being such an one as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ. |
| 10appeal to you for my son, Onesimus. I fathered him while I was in chains. | 10I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds: |
| 11Once he was useless to you, but now he is useful both to you and to me. | 11Which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me: |
| 12I am sending him back to you as a part of myself. | 12Whom I have sent again: thou therefore receive him, that is, mine own bowels: |
| 13I wanted to keep him with me, so that in my imprisonment for the gospel he might serve me in your place. | 13Whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel: |
| 14But I didn't want to do anything without your consent, so that your good deed might not be out of obligation, but of your own free will. | 14But without thy mind would I do nothing; that thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly. |
| 15For perhaps this is why he was separated from you for a brief time, so that you might get him back permanently, | 15For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him for ever; |
| 16no longer as a slave, but more than a slave--as a dearly loved brother. He is especially so to me, but even more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord. | 16Not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord? |
| 17So if you consider me a partner, accept him as you would me. | 17If thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself. |
| 18And if he has wronged you in any way, or owes you anything, charge that to my account. | 18If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account; |
| 19I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it--not to mention to you that you owe me even your own self. | 19I Paul have written it with mine own hand, I will repay it: albeit I do not say to thee how thou owest unto me even thine own self besides. |
| 20Yes, brother, may I have joy from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ. | 20Yea, brother, let me have joy of thee in the Lord: refresh my bowels in the Lord. |
| 21Since I am confident of your obedience, I am writing to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say. | 21Having confidence in thy obedience I wrote unto thee, knowing that thou wilt also do more than I say. |
| 22But meanwhile, also prepare a guest room for me, for I hope that through your prayers I will be restored to you. | 22But withal prepare me also a lodging: for I trust that through your prayers I shall be given unto you. |
| 23Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you, and so do | 23There salute thee Epaphras, my fellowprisoner in Christ Jesus; |
| 24Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my coworkers. | 24Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, my fellowlabourers. |
| 25The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. | 25The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen. |
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