rd

Philemon

1.Paul a prisoner of Jesus of Christ, and our brother Timotheus, unto Philemon our dear friend, and fellow helper,
2.And to our dear sister Apphia, and to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the Church that is in thine house:
3.Grace be with you, and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
4.I *give thanks to my God, making mention always of thee in my prayers,
5.(When I hear of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all Saints)
6.That the afellowship of thy faith may be made fruitful, and that whatsoever good thing is in you bthrough Christ Jesus, may be known.
7.For we have great joy and consolation in thy love, because by thee, brother, the Saints chearts are comforted.
8.Wherefore, though I be very bold in Christ to command thee that which is convenient,
9.Yet for love's sake I rather beseech thee, though I be as I am, even Paul aged, & even now a prisoner of Jesus Christ.
10.I beseech thee for my son *Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds,
11.Which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable both to thee and to me,
12.Whom I have sent again: thou therefore receive him, that is mine own bowels,
13.Whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the Gospel.
14.But without thy mind would I do nothing, that thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly.
15.It may be that he therefore ddeparted for a season, that thou shouldest receive him forever,
16.eNot now as a servant, but above a servant, even as a brother beloved, specially to me: how much more then unto thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord?
17.If therefore thou count our things fcommon, receive him as myself.
18.If he hath hurt thee, or oweth thee ought, that put on mine accounts.
19.Ipaul have written this with mine own hand: I will recompense it, albeit I do not say to thee, that thou owest unto me even thine own self.
20.Yea, brother, let me obtain this pleasure of thee in the Lord: comfort my gbowels in the Lord.
21.Trusting in thine obedience, I wrote unto thee, knowing that thou wilt do even more then I say.
22.Moreover also prepare me lodging: for I trust through your prayers I shalbe given unto you.
23.There salute thee Epaphras my fellow prisoner hin Christ Jesus.
24.Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow helpers.
25.The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, Amen.
Written from Rome to Philemon, and sent by Onesimus a servant.

Notes

4-*.
1 Thess. 1.2, 2 Thess. 1.3
6-a.
Thy benevolence toward the Saints, which procedeth of a lively and effectual faith.
6-b.
That experience may declare that you are the members of Jesus Christ.
7-c.
Meaning their inward parts and affections were through his charity comforted.
10-*.
Colos 4.9
15-d.
He fled away from thee.
16-e.
For he is thy servant by condition, and also now the Lord's, so that both for thine own sake and for the Lord's ye ought to love him
17-f.
That all thine is mine, and all mine is thine.
20-g.
Grant me this benefit, which shalbe most acceptable unto me of all others.
23-h.
That is, for Christ's cause.