Paul's Letter to Philemon

Paul's Letter to Philemon
1. Paul, bound to Jesus Christ, and brother Timothy, to the beloved Philemon, our co-worker,
2. And to our beloved Apphia, and Archippus our co-worker and the church in your house,
3. May the grace and peace of God our Father be with you, and from our Lord Jesus Christ.
4. I confess to God in every season and I remember you in the prayers on my knees,
5. Ever since I heard of your faith in and love for our Lord Jesus Christ and for all our saints,
6. So as your association of believers may be fruitful in works and in the knowledge of all the grace that you possess in Jesus Christ.
7. For we have great joy and our hearts are uplifted that through your love the mercy of the saints is justified.
8. Because of that I have great intimacy with Christ, who commanded you to do those blessed things.
9. Because of love I make this request,* I, Paul, who have become old, as you know, now, however, also bound to Jesus Christ,
10. I pray to you regarding my son who was born with my chains,* Onesimus,
11. He that you had no use for in the past,* now he is useful for both of us.*
12. Receive him then like he were my own child.
13. For I took him to me so he could perform services, chained to God's Revelation* on your behalf.
14. I did not wish to do anything against your counsel, however, so as your kindness was not imposed against your will,* except according to it.
15. Perhaps this is also why he is relocating, so as when the eternal hour arrives, he will be raptured.
16. And not just as a servant, for he is my beloved brother, as he is yours, in the flesh and in our Lord.
17. If I have such a relationship with him then, receive him like me.*
18. And if you lose anything or fall under obligation, think of it as mine.*
19. I, Paul, write you in my own handwriting, I pay what is due,* so I do not tell you that you owe me even your soul.
20. Yes, brother, my reliance* on you is through our Lord, for my mercy rests in Christ.
21. I wrote you as I think you listen to me, and I know that you will do more than I am telling you.
22. I am happy, however, that it will be a blessing also when I come to stay with you, for I will be contributing with my prayers on your behalf.
23. Apaphras,* my fellow in Jesus Christ, says Shalom,
24. And Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke my helper. May the blessings of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirits, my brethren, amen.
(End of the Letter to Philemon that was written from Nicopolis.)
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*1:9 Lit. Ar. expression: "Pray the prayer," or "beg the begging."
*1:10 Lit. Ar. idiomatic construction: "Whom I birthed with my chains."
*1:11.1 Lit. Ar. idiomatic construction: "He that in season you had no worth in him."
*1:11.2 Lit. Ar. idiomatic construction: "Now, however, also to you, also to me well he is worth it."
*1:13 Aramaic word: "Awen-galee-yun."
*1:14 Lit. Ar. idiomatic expression: "Like that of the stubborn."
*1:17 Lit. Ar. idiomatic expression: "Receive him as mine."
*1:18 Lit. Ar. idiomatic expression: "Over me think," or consider it a favor to me.
*1:19 Lit. Ar. idiomatic expression: "I pay up."
*1:20 Lit. Ar. idiomatic figure of speech: "Rest."
*1"23 Lit. Aramaic: "Apopratus."

-- Translated by Victor Alexander ©2001