paul a prisoner of jesus christ and timothy our brother unto philemon our dearly beloved and fellowlabourer
and to our beloved apphia and archippus our fellowsoldier 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 making mention of thee always in my prayers
hearing of thy love and faith which thou hast toward the lord jesus and toward all saints
that the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in christ jesus
for we have great joy and consolation in thy love because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee brother
wherefore though i might be much bold in christ to enjoin thee that which is convenient
yet for loves sake i rather beseech thee being such an one as paul the aged and now also a prisoner of jesus christ
i beseech thee for my son onesimus whom i have begotten in my bonds
which in time past was to thee unprofitable but now profitable to thee and to me
whom i have sent again thou therefore receive him that is mine own bowels
whom i would have retained with me that in thy stead he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel
but without thy mind would i do nothing that thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity but willingly
for perhaps he therefore departed for a season that thou shouldest receive him for ever
not now as a servant but above a servant a brother beloved specially to me but how much more unto thee both in the flesh and in the lord
if thou count me therefore a partner receive him as myself
if he hath wronged thee or oweth thee ought put that on mine account
i paul have written it with mine own hand i will repay it albeit i do not say to thee how thou owest unto me even thine own self besides
yea brother let me have joy of thee in the lord refresh my bowels in the lord
having confidence in thy obedience i wrote unto thee knowing that thou wilt also do more than i say
but withal prepare me also a lodging for i trust that through your prayers i shall be given unto you
there salute thee epaphras my fellowprisoner in christ jesus
marcus aristarchus demas lucas my fellowlabourers
the grace of our lord jesus christ be with your spirit amen