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[1] PAUL, a prisoner of Jesus the Messiah, and Timothy a brother; to the beloved Philemon, a laborer with us,
[2] and to our beloved Apphia, and to Archippus a laborer with us, and to the church in thy house.
[3] Grace be with you, and peace from God our father, and from our Lord Jesus the Messiah.
[4] I thank my God always, and remember thee in my prayers,
[5] lo, from the time that I heard of thy faith, and of the love thou hast towards our Lord Jesus, and towards all the saints;
[6] that there may be a fellowship of thy faith, yielding fruits in works, and in the knowledge of all the good things ye possess in Jesus the Messiah.
[7] For we have great joy and consolation, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thy love.
[8] Therefore I might have great freedom In the Messiah, to enjoin upon thee the things that are right.
[9] But for love's sake, I earnestly beseech thee even I, Paul, who am aged, as thou knowest, and now also a prisoner for Jesus the Messiah.
[10] I beseech thee for my son, whom I had begotten in my bonds for Onesimus;
[11] from whom formerly thou hadst no profit, but now very profitable will he be both to thee and to me; and whom I have sent to thee.
[12] And receive thou him, as one begotten by me.
[13] For I was desirous to retain him with me, that he might minister to me in thy stead, in these bonds for the gospel.
[14] But I would do nothing without consulting thee; lest thy benefit should be as if by compulsion, and not with thy pleasure.
[15] And, perhaps, also, he therefore departed from thee for a season, that thou mightest retain him for ever;
[16] henceforth, not as a servant, but more than a servant, a brother dear to me, and much more to thee, both in the flesh and in our Lord?
[17] If therefore thou art in fellowship with me, receive him as one of mine.
[18] And if he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee aught, place it to my account.
[19] I, Paul, have written [it] with my own hand, I will repay: not to say to thee, that to me thou owest thy ownself.
[20] Yes, my brother, let me be refreshed by thee in our Lord: refresh thou my bowels in the Messiah.
[21] Being confident that thou wilt hearken to me, I have written to thee: and I know that thou wilt do more than I say.
[22] And herewith, prepare also a house for me to lodge in; for I hope that, by your prayers, I shall be given to you.
[23] Epaphras, a fellow-captive with me in Jesus the Messiah, saluteth thee;
[24] and Mark, and Aristarchus, and Demas, and Luke, my coadjutors.
[25] The grace of our Lord Jesus the Messiah be with your spirit, my brethren. Amen.End of the Epistle to Philemon; which was written from Rome, and was sent by the hands of Onesimus.
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