2.7 KiB
Philemon's Love and Faith
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Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our beloved brother and fellow worker,
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and to Apphia our sister, and to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house:
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Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
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I thank my God, always making mention of you in my prayers,
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because I hear of your love and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints;
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and I pray that the fellowship of your faith may become effective through the full knowledge of every good thing which is in you for the sake of Christ.
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For I have come to have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.
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Therefore, though I have much boldness in Christ to command you to do what is proper,
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yet for love's sake I rather plead with you--since I am such a person as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus--
Plea for Onesimus
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I plead with you for my child Onesimus, of whom I became a father in my chains,
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who formerly was useless to you, but now is useful both to you and to me.
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I have sent him back to you in person, that is, my very heart,
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whom I intended to keep with me, so that on your behalf he might minister to me in my chains for the gospel,
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but without your consent I did not want to do anything, so that your goodness would not be, in effect, by compulsion but voluntarily.
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For perhaps he was for this reason separated from you for a while, that you would have him back forever,
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no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother, especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.
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If then you regard me a partner, accept him as you would accept me.
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But if he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge that to my account.
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I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand, I will repay it (not to mention to you that you owe to me even your own self as well).
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Yes, brother, let me benefit from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ!
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Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, since I know that you will do even more than what I say.
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And at the same time also prepare me a lodging, for I hope that through your prayers I will be graciously given to you.
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Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you,
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as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow workers.
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The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.