1 ΠΑΥΛΟΣ δέσμιος Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ καὶ Τιμόθεος ὁ ἀδελφὸς Φιλήμονι τῷ ἀγαπητῷ καὶ συνεργῷ ἡμῶν
Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy our brother, unto Philemon our dearly beloved, and fellow labourer,
2 καὶ Ἀπφίᾳ τῇ ἀδελφῇ καὶ Ἀρχίππῳ τῷ συνστρατιώτῃ / συστρατιώτῃ ἡμῶν καὶ τῇ κατ´ οἶκόν σου ἐκκλησίᾳ·
And to our beloved Apphia, and Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house:
3
Thanksgiving and Prayer
χάρις ὑμῖν καὶ εἰρήνη ἀπὸ θεοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν καὶ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ.
Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
4 Εὐχαριστῶ τῷ θεῷ μου πάντοτε μνείαν σου ποιούμενος ἐπὶ τῶν προσευχῶν μου,
I thank my God, making mention of you always in my prayers,
5 ἀκούων σου τὴν ἀγάπην καὶ τὴν πίστιν ἣν ἔχεις εἰς / πρὸς τὸν κύριον Ἰησοῦν καὶ εἰς πάντας τοὺς ἁγίους,
Hearing of your love and faith, which you have toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints;
6 ὅπως ἡ κοινωνία τῆς πίστεώς σου ἐνεργὴς γένηται ἐν ἐπιγνώσει παντὸς ἀγαθοῦ τοῦ ἐν ἡμῖν εἰς Χριστόν·
That the communication of your faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.
7
Paul’s Plea for Onesimus
χαρὰν γὰρ πολλὴν ἔσχον καὶ παράκλησιν ἐπὶ τῇ ἀγάπῃ σου, ὅτι τὰ σπλάγχνα τῶν ἁγίων ἀναπέπαυται διὰ σοῦ, ἀδελφέ.
For we have great joy and consolation in your love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by you, brother.
8 Διό, πολλὴν ἐν Χριστῷ παρρησίαν ἔχων ἐπιτάσσειν σοι τὸ ἀνῆκον,
Wherefore, though I might be much bold in Christ to admonish you that which is convenient,
9 διὰ τὴν ἀγάπην μᾶλλον παρακαλῶ, τοιοῦτος ὢν ὡς Παῦλος πρεσβύτης νυνὶ δὲ καὶ δέσμιος Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ
Yet for love's sake I rather plead to you, being such an one as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ.
10 παρακαλῶ σε περὶ τοῦ ἐμοῦ τέκνου, ὃν ἐγέννησα ἐν τοῖς δεσμοῖς Ὀνήσιμον,
I plead to you for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds:
11 τόν ποτέ σοι ἄχρηστον νυνὶ δὲ {καὶ} σοὶ καὶ ἐμοὶ εὔχρηστον,
Which in time past was to you useless, but now profitable to you and to me:
12 ὃν ἀνέπεμψά σοι αὐτόν, τοῦτ´ ἔστιν τὰ ἐμὰ σπλάγχνα·
Whom I have sent again: you therefore receive him, that is, mine own bowels:
13 ὃν ἐγὼ ἐβουλόμην πρὸς ἐμαυτὸν κατέχειν, ἵνα ὑπὲρ σοῦ μοι διακονῇ ἐν τοῖς δεσμοῖς τοῦ εὐαγγελίου,
Whom I would have retained with me, that in your position he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel:
14 χωρὶς δὲ τῆς σῆς γνώμης οὐδὲν ἠθέλησα ποιῆσαι, ἵνα μὴ ὡς κατὰ ἀνάγκην τὸ ἀγαθόν σου ᾖ ἀλλὰ κατὰ ἑκούσιον.
But without your mind would I do nothing; that your benefit should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly.
15 τάχα γὰρ διὰ τοῦτο ἐχωρίσθη πρὸς ὥραν ἵνα αἰώνιον αὐτὸν ἀπέχῃς,
For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that you should receive him for ever;
16 οὐκέτι ὡς δοῦλον ἀλλὰ / ἀλλ´ ὑπὲρ δοῦλον, ἀδελφὸν ἀγαπητόν, μάλιστα ἐμοί, πόσῳ δὲ μᾶλλον σοὶ καὶ ἐν σαρκὶ καὶ ἐν κυρίῳ.
Not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much more unto you, both in the flesh, and in the Lord?
17 εἰ οὖν με ἔχεις κοινωνόν, προσλαβοῦ αὐτὸν ὡς ἐμέ.
If you count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself.
18 εἰ δέ τι ἠδίκησέν σε ἢ ὀφείλει, τοῦτο ἐμοὶ ἐλλόγα·
If he has wronged you, or owes you ought, put that on mine account;
19 ἐγὼ Παῦλος ἔγραψα τῇ ἐμῇ χειρί, ἐγὼ ἀποτίσω· ἵνα μὴ λέγω σοι ὅτι καὶ σεαυτόν μοι προσοφείλεις.
I Paul have written it with mine own hand, I will repay it: although it be I do not say to you how you owe unto me even yours own self besides.
20 ναί, ἀδελφέ, ἐγώ σου ὀναίμην ἐν κυρίῳ· ἀνάπαυσόν μου τὰ σπλάγχνα ἐν Χριστῷ.
Yea, brother, let me have joy of you in the Lord: refresh my bowels in the Lord.
21 Πεποιθὼς τῇ ὑπακοῇ σου ἔγραψά σοι, εἰδὼς ὅτι καὶ ὑπὲρ ἃ λέγω ποιήσεις.
Having confidence in your obedience I wrote unto you, knowing that you will also do more than I say.
22 ἅμα δὲ καὶ ἑτοίμαζέ μοι ξενίαν, ἐλπίζω γὰρ ὅτι διὰ τῶν προσευχῶν ὑμῶν χαρισθήσομαι ὑμῖν.
But likewise prepare me also a lodging: for I trust that through your prayers I shall be given unto you.
23 Ἀσπάζεταί σε Ἐπαφρᾶς ὁ συναιχμάλωτός μου ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ,
There salute you Epaphras, my fellow-prisoner in Christ Jesus;
24 Μάρκος, Ἀρίσταρχος, Δημᾶς, Λουκᾶς, οἱ συνεργοί μου.
Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, my fellow labourers.
25 Ἡ χάρις τοῦ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ μετὰ τοῦ πνεύματος ὑμῶν.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.