\NormalFont\ShortTitle{Philemon}

{\MT Philemon



\par }\OneChap {\SH Greetings from Paul and Timothy
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{\R (Philippians 1:1–2; Colossians 1:1–2)

\par }{\MM \VerseOne{1}Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,

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{\MM To Philemon our beloved fellow worker,

\VS{2}to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church that meets at your
\FTNT{*}{{\FR 1:2 }{\FT{You and Your are singular throughout this letter, except in verses 3, 22, and 25.}}} house:


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{\MM \VS{3}Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.


\par }{\SH Philemon’s Faith and Love
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{\BB \par }
{\MM \VS{4}I always thank my God, remembering you in my prayers,

\VS{5}because I hear about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints.

\VS{6}I pray that your partnership in the faith may become effective as you fully acknowledge every good thing that is ours in Christ.

\VS{7}I take great joy and encouragement in your love, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints.


\par }{\SH Paul’s Appeal for Onesimus
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{\BB \par }
{\MM \VS{8}So although in Christ I am bold enough to order you to do what is proper,

\VS{9}I prefer to appeal on the basis of love. For I, Paul, am now aged, and a prisoner of Christ Jesus as well.


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{\MM \VS{10}I appeal to you for my child Onesimus,\FTNT{†}{{\FR 1:10 }{\FT{Onesimus means useful (see verse 11) or beneficial (see verse 20).}}} whose father I became while I was in chains.

\VS{11}Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.

\VS{12}I am sending back to you him who is my very heart.


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{\MM \VS{13}I would have liked to keep him with me, so that on your behalf he could minister to me in my chains for the gospel.

\VS{14}But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that your goodness will not be out of compulsion, but by your own free will.

\VS{15}For perhaps this is why he was separated from you for a while, so that you might have him back for good—

\VS{16}no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a beloved brother. He is especially beloved to me, but even more so to you, both in person and in the Lord.


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{\MM \VS{17}So if you consider me a partner, receive him as you would receive me.

\VS{18}But if he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge it to my account.

\VS{19}I, Paul, write this with my own hand. I will repay it—not to mention that you owe me your very self.


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{\MM \VS{20}Yes, brother, let me have some benefit
\FTNT{‡}{{\FR 1:20 }{\FT{Greek onaimēn, a play on the name Onesimus}}} from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ.


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{\MM \VS{21}Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask.


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{\MM \VS{22}In the meantime, prepare a guest room for me, because I hope that through your prayers I will be restored to you.


\par }{\SH Additional Greetings
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{\BB \par }
{\MM \VS{23}Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you greetings,

\VS{24}as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.


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{\MM \VS{25}The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.\FTNT{§}{{\FR 1:25 }{\FT{BYZ and TR include Amen.}}}

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