1. I, Paul, am writing this letter. I am a prisoner because of Christ Jesus. Our brother Timothy joins me in writing. Philemon, we are sending you this letter. You are our dear friend. You work together with us.

2. We are also sending it to our sister Apphia and to Archippus. He is a soldier of Christ together with us. And we are sending it to the church that meets in your home.

3. May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.

4. I always thank my God when I remember you in my prayers.

5. That's because I hear about your faith in the Lord Jesus. I hear about your love for all of God's people.

6. I pray that you will be active in sharing what you believe. Then you will completely understand every good thing we have in Christ.

7. Your love has given me great joy. It has cheered me up. My brother, you have renewed the hearts of God's people.

8. Because of the authority Christ has given me, I could be bold. I could order you to do what you should do anyway.

9. But I make my appeal to you on the basis of our love for each other. I, Paul, am an old man. I am now also a prisoner because of Christ Jesus.

10. I make an appeal to you for my son Onesimus. He became a son to me while I was being held by chains.

11. Before that, he was useless to you. But now he has become useful to you and to me.

12. I'm sending Onesimus back to you. My very heart goes with him.

13. I would have liked to keep him with me. Then he could have taken your place in helping me while I'm being held by chains because of the good news.

14. But I didn't want to do anything unless you agreed. Any favor you do must be done because you want to do it, not because you have to.

15. Onesimus was separated from you for a little while. Maybe that was so you could have him back for good.

16. You could have him back not as a slave. Instead, he would be better than a slave. He would be a dear brother. He is very dear to me. But he is even more dear to you, both as a man and as a brother in the Lord.

17. Do you think of me as a believer who works together with you? Then welcome Onesimus as you would welcome me.

18. Has he done anything wrong to you? Does he owe you anything? Then charge it to me.

19. I'll pay it back. I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand. I won't even mention that you owe me your very life.

20. My brother, I wish I could receive some benefit from you because we both belong to the Lord. Renew my heart. We know that Christ is the one who really renews it.

21. I'm sure you will obey. So I'm writing to you. I know you will do even more than I ask.

22. There is one more thing. Have a guest room ready for me. I hope I can return to all of you in answer to your prayers.

23. Epaphras sends you greetings. Together with me, he is a prisoner because of Christ Jesus.

24. Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke work together with me. They also send you greetings.

25. May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.