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1 From Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus and from our brother Timothy; to our dear fellow worker Philemon, |
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2 our sister Apphia, our fellow soldier Archippus and the church that meets in your house. |
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3 Grace and the peace of God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. |
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4 I always thank my God, mentioning you in my prayers, |
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5 because I hear of the love and the faith which you have for the Lord Jesus and for all God's holy people. |
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6 I pray that your fellowship in faith may come to expression in full knowledge of all the good we can do for Christ. |
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7 I have received much joy and encouragement by your love; you have set the hearts of God's holy people at rest. |
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8 Therefore, although in Christ I have no hesitations about telling you what your duty is, |
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9 I am rather appealing to your love, being what I am, Paul, an old man, and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus. |
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10 I am appealing to you for a child of mine, whose father I became while wearing these chains: I mean Onesimus. |
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11 He was of no use to you before, but now he is useful both to you and to me. |
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12 I am sending him back to you -- that is to say, sending you my own heart. |
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13 I should have liked to keep him with me; he could have been a substitute for you, to help me while I am in the chains that the gospel has brought me. |
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14 However, I did not want to do anything without your consent; it would have been forcing your act of kindness, which should be spontaneous. |
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15 I suppose you have been deprived of Onesimus for a time, merely so that you could have him back for ever, |
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16 no longer as a slave, but something much better than a slave, a dear brother; especially dear to me, but how much more to you, both on the natural plane and in the Lord. |
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17 So if you grant me any fellowship with yourself, welcome him as you would me; |
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18 if he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, put it down to my account. |
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19 I am writing this in my own hand: I, Paul, shall pay it back -- I make no mention of a further debt, that you owe your very self to me! |
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20 Well then, brother, I am counting on you, in the Lord; set my heart at rest, in Christ. |
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21 I am writing with complete confidence in your compliance, sure that you will do even more than I ask. |
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22 There is another thing: will you get a place ready for me to stay in? I am hoping through your prayers to be restored to you. |
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23 Epaphras, a prisoner with me in Christ Jesus, sends his greetings; |
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24 so do my fellow-workers Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke. |
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25 May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. |
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