| New King James Version | New International Version |
| 1Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our beloved friend and fellow laborer, | 1Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker-- |
| 2to the beloved Apphia, Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house: | 2also to Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow soldier--and to the church that meets in your home: |
| 3Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. | 3Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. |
| 4I thank my God, making mention of you always in my prayers, | 4I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, |
| 5hearing of your love and faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints, | 5because I hear about your love for all his holy people and your faith in the Lord Jesus. |
| 6that the sharing of your faith may become effective by the acknowledgment of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus. | 6I pray that your partnership with us in the faith may be effective in deepening your understanding of every good thing we share for the sake of Christ. |
| 7For we have great joy and consolation in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother. | 7Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the Lord's people. |
| 8Therefore, though I might be very bold in Christ to command you what is fitting, | 8Therefore, although in Christ I could be bold and order you to do what you ought to do, |
| 9yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you—being such a one as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ— | 9yet I prefer to appeal to you on the basis of love. It is as none other than Paul--an old man and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus-- |
| 10I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten while in my chains, | 10that I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, who became my son while I was in chains. |
| 11who once was unprofitable to you, but now is profitable to you and to me. | 11Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me. |
| 12I am sending him back. You therefore receive him, that is, my own heart, | 12I am sending him--who is my very heart--back to you. |
| 13whom I wished to keep with me, that on your behalf he might minister to me in my chains for the gospel. | 13I would have liked to keep him with me so that he could take your place in helping me while I am in chains for the gospel. |
| 14But without your consent I wanted to do nothing, that your good deed might not be by compulsion, as it were, but voluntary. | 14But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that any favor you do would not seem forced but would be voluntary. |
| 15For perhaps he departed for a while for this purpose, that you might receive him forever, | 15Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back forever-- |
| 16no longer as a slave but more than a slave—a beloved brother, especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord. | 16no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother. He is very dear to me but even dearer to you, both as a fellow man and as a brother in the Lord. |
| 17If then you count me as a partner, receive him as you would me. | 17So if you consider me a partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. |
| 18But if he has wronged you or owes anything, put that on my account. | 18If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me. |
| 19I, Paul, am writing with my own hand. I will repay—not to mention to you that you owe me even your own self besides. | 19I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand. I will pay it back--not to mention that you owe me your very self. |
| 20Yes, brother, let me have joy from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in the Lord. | 20I do wish, brother, that I may have some benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ. |
| 21Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say. | 21Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask. |
| 22But, meanwhile, also prepare a guest room for me, for I trust that through your prayers I shall be granted to you. | 22And one thing more: Prepare a guest room for me, because I hope to be restored to you in answer to your prayers. |
| 23Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you, | 23Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you greetings. |
| 24as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow laborers. | 24And so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke, my fellow workers. |
| 25The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen. | 25The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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