Bible (American Standard)/Philemon

The Epistle of Paul to Philemon
==Chapter 1==
 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our
brother, to Philemon our beloved and fellow-worker, 
 and to
Apphia our sister, and to Archippus our fellow-soldier, and to
the church in thy house: 
 Grace to you and peace from God
our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 
 I thank my God
always, making mention of thee in my prayers, 
 hearing of
thy love, and of the faith which thou hast toward the Lord
Jesus, and toward all the saints; 
 that the fellowship of
thy faith may become effectual, in the knowledge of every good
thing which is in you, unto Christ. 
 For I had much joy and
comfort in thy love, because the hearts of the saints have been
refreshed through thee, brother. 
 Wherefore, though I have
all boldness in Christ to enjoin thee that which is befitting,
 yet for love's sake I rather beseech, being such a one as
Paul the aged, and now a prisoner also of Christ Jesus: 
 I
beseech thee for my child, whom I have begotten in my bonds,
Onesimus, 
 who once was unprofitable to thee, but now is
profitable to thee and to me: 
 whom I have sent back to
thee in his own person, that is, my very heart: 
 whom I
would fain have kept with me, that in thy behalf he might
minister unto me in the bonds of the gospel: 
 but without
thy mind I would do nothing; that thy goodness should not be as
of necessity, but of free will. 
 For perhaps he was
therefore parted [from thee] for a season, that thou shouldest
have him for ever; 
 no longer as a servant, but more than
a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much
rather to thee, both in the flesh and in the Lord. 
 If
then thou countest me a partner, receive him as myself. 
 But if he hath wronged the at all, or oweth [thee] aught, put
that to mine account; 
 I Paul write it with mine own hand,
I will repay it: that I say not unto thee that thou owest to me
even thine own self besides. 
 Yea, brother, let me have
joy of thee in the Lord: refresh my heart in Christ. 
 Having confidence in thine obedience I write unto thee, knowing
that thou wilt do even beyond what I say. 
 But withal
prepare me also a lodging: for I hope that through your prayers
I shall be granted unto you. 
 Epaphras, my fellow-prisoner
in Christ Jesus, saluteth thee; 
 [and so do] Mark,
Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow-workers. 
 The grace of
our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
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