1Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon, our beloved fellow worker, 2to the beloved Apphia, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the assembly in your house: 3Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
4I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers, 5hearing of your love and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints, 6that the fellowship of your faith may become effective in the knowledge of every good thing which is in us in Christ Jesus. 7For we have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.
8Therefore though I have all boldness in Christ to command you that which is appropriate, 9yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you, being such a one as Paul, the aged, but also a prisoner of Jesus Christ. 10I appeal to you for my child Onesimus, whom I have become the father of in my chains, 11who once was useless to you, but now is useful to you and to me. 12I am sending him back. Therefore receive him, that is, my own heart, 13whom I desired to keep with me, that on your behalf he might serve me in my chains for the Good News. 14But I was willing to do nothing without your consent, that your goodness would not be as of necessity, but of free will. 15For perhaps he was therefore separated from you for a while that you would have him forever, 16no 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.
17If then you count me a partner, receive him as you would receive me. 18But if he has wronged you at all or owes you anything, put that to my account. 19I, 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). 20Yes, brother, let me have joy from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in the Lord.
21Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even beyond what I say.
22Also, prepare a guest room for me, for I hope that through your prayers I will be restored to you.
23Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you, 24as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.
25The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
1Paulus vinctus Christi Jesu, et Timotheus frater, Philemoni dilecto, et adjutori nostro, 2et Appiæ sorori carissimæ, et Archippo commilitoni nostro, et ecclesiæ, quæ in domo tua est. 3Gratia vobis, et pax a Deo Patre nostro, et Domino Jesu Christo. 4Gratias ago Deo meo, semper memoriam tui faciens in orationibus meis, 5audiens caritatem tuam, et fidem, quam habes in Domino Jesu, et in omnes sanctos: 6ut communicatio fidei tuæ evidens fiat in agnitione omnis operis boni, quod est in vobis in Christo Jesu. 7Gaudium enim magnum habui, et consolationem in caritate tua: quia viscera sanctorum requieverunt per te, frater. 8Propter quod multam fiduciam habens in Christo Jesu imperandi tibi quod ad rem pertinet: 9propter caritatem magis obsecro, cum sis talis, ut Paulus senex, nunc autem et vinctus Jesu Christi: 10obsecro te pro meo filio, quem genui in vinculis, Onesimo, 11qui tibi aliquando inutilis fuit, nunc autem et mihi et tibi utilis, 12quem remisi tibi. Tu autem illum, ut mea viscera, suscipe: 13quem ego volueram mecum detinere, ut pro te mihi ministraret in vinculis Evangelii: 14sine consilio autem tuo nihil volui facere, uti ne velut ex necessitate bonum tuum esset, sed voluntarium. 15Forsitan enim ideo discessit ad horam a te, ut æternum illum reciperes: 16jam non ut servum, sed pro servo carissimum fratrem, maxime mihi: quanto autem magis tibi et in carne, et in Domino? 17Si ergo habes me socium, suscipe illum sicut me: 18si autem aliquid nocuit tibi, aut debet, hoc mihi imputa. 19Ego Paulus scripsi mea manu: ego reddam, ut non dicam tibi, quod et teipsum mihi debes: 20ita, frater. Ego te fruar in Domino: refice viscera mea in Domino. 21Confidens in obedientia tua scripsi tibi: sciens quoniam et super id, quod dico, facies. 22Simul autem et para mihi hospitium: nam spero per orationes vestras donari me vobis. 23Salutat te Epaphras concaptivus meus in Christo Jesu, 24Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, et Lucas, adjutores mei. 25Gratia Domini nostri Jesu Christi cum spiritu vestro. Amen.