Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to
Philemon, our beloved fellow worker,

to the beloved Apphia, to Archippus, our fellow soldier, and to the assembly in your house:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers,

hearing of your love, and of the faith which you have toward the
Lord Jesus, and toward all the saints;

that the fellowship of
your faith may become effective, in the knowledge of every good thing
which is in us in Christ Jesus.

For we have much joy and comfort
in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed
through you, brother.

Therefore, though I have all boldness in Christ to command you
that which is appropriate,

yet for love's sake I rather beg,
being such a one as Paul, the aged, but also a prisoner of Jesus
Christ.

I beg you for my child, whom I have become the father of
in my chains, Onesimus,

who once was useless to you, but now is
useful to you and to me.

I am sending him back. Therefore
receive him, that is, my own heart,

whom I desired to keep with
me, that on your behalf he might serve me in my chains for the gospel.

But I was willing to do nothing without your consent, that your
goodness would not be as of necessity, but of free will.

For
perhaps he was therefore separated from you for a while, that you would
have him forever,

no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a
beloved brother, especially to me, but how much rather to you, both in
the flesh and in the Lord.

If then you count me a partner, receive him as you would
receive me.

But if he has wronged you at all, or owes you
anything, put that to my account.

I, Paul, write this with my
own hand: I will repay it (not to mention to you that you owe to me
even your own self besides).

Yes, brother, let me have joy from
you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in the Lord.

Having confidence
in your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even beyond
what I say.

Also, prepare a guest room for me, for I hope that through
your prayers I will be restored to you.

Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you,

as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.