{1,1}: Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon, our beloved fellow worker,
{1,2}: to the beloved Apphia, to Archippus, our fellow soldier, and to the assembly in your house:
{1,3}: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
{1,4}: I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers,
{1,5}: hearing of your love, and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all the saints;
{1,6}: that the fellowship of your faith may become effective, in the knowledge of every good thing which is in us in Christ Jesus.
{1,7}: For we have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.
{1,8}: Therefore though I have all boldness in Christ to command you that which is appropriate,
{1,9}: yet for love's sake I rather beg, being such a one as Paul, the aged, but also a prisoner of Jesus Christ.
{1,10}: I beg you for my child, whom I have become the father of in my chains, Onesimus,
{1,11}: who once was useless to you, but now is useful to you and to me.
{1,12}: I am sending him back. Therefore receive him, that is, my own heart,
{1,13}: whom I desired to keep with me, that on your behalf he might serve me in my chains for the Good News.
{1,14}: But I was willing to do nothing without your consent, that your goodness would not be as of necessity, but of free will.
{1,15}: For perhaps he was therefore separated from you for a while, that you would have him forever,
{1,16}: no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother, especially to me, but how much rather to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.
{1,17}: If then you count me a partner, receive him as you would receive me.
{1,18}: But if he has wronged you at all, or owes you anything, put that to my account.
{1,19}: I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it (not to mention to you that you owe to me even your own self besides).
{1,20}: Yes, brother, let me have joy from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in the Lord.
{1,21}: Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even beyond what I say.
{1,22}: Also, prepare a guest room for me, for I hope that through your prayers I will be restored to you.
{1,23}: Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you,
{1,24}: as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.
{1,25}: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

* Holy Bible WEB XML - Extracted and Compiled from Public Domain by Steven C. Howes - Howes-IT-Going.com - For Windows and Web *