1 From Paul, a prisoner for Messiah Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon, our dear friend and coworker,  2 to our dear sister Appia, to our fellow soldier Archippus, and to the church which meets in your house:  3 Grace and peace to you from God who is our Father and from the lord Jesus Messiah.
    4 I always thank my God, mentioning you in my prayers,  5 because I hear of your faith and love toward the lord Jesus and for all the saints.  6 I pray that your participation in the faith may become even more effective through the knowledge of everything good that is in you in Messiah. 7 For I have received great joy and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.
    8 So, although I have enough boldness in Messiah to command you to do what is right,  9 I prefer to appeal to you instead, on the basis of love — I, Paul, an elderly man and now also a prisoner for Messiah Jesus.  10 I am appealing to you for my child whom I fathered in the faith during my imprisonment, Onesimus. 11 He was once useless to you, but he is now useful to both you and me. 12 I am sending him — who is my own heart — back to you. 13 I wanted to keep him with me, so that during my imprisonment for the Gospel he could serve me in your place. 14 But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that the good you do might not be forced, but from your free will. 15 For perhaps he was separated from you for a short time for this reason, so that you might get him back forever, 16 no longer as a slave, but better than a slave — as a dear brother. He is especially so to me, but now will be even more to you, both in humanity and in the lord.
    17 So if you consider me a partner, receive him as though he were me. 18 If he has wronged you at all or owes you anything, charge that to me. 19 I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand: I will repay — not to mention that you owe me your own self! 20 Yes, brother, may I benefit from you in the lord. Refresh my heart in Messiah.
    21 Confident in your obedience, I am writing to you, knowing that you will even go beyond what I say.
    22 Meanwhile, also prepare a place for me to stay, because I hope that through your prayers I will be restored to you.
    23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Messiah Jesus, sends his greetings to you, 24 as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my coworkers. 25 The grace of the lord Jesus Messiah be with your spirit.