Letters to the Churches

Paul a prisoner of Iesus Christ, and our brother Timotheus, vnto Philemon our deare friende, and fellowe helper,

And to our deare sister Apphia, and to Archippus our fellowe souldier, and to the Church that is in thine house:

Grace be with you, and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Iesus Christ.

I giue thanks to my God, making mention alwaies of thee in my praiers,

(When I heare of thy loue and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Iesus, and towarde all Saintes)

That the fellowship of thy faith may bee made effectuall, and that whatsoeuer good thing is in you through Christ Iesus, may be knowen.

For we haue great ioy and consolation in thy loue, because by thee, brother, the Saintes bowels are comforted.

Wherefore, though I bee very bolde in Christ to commaund thee that which is conuenient,

Yet for loues sake I rather beseeche thee, though I be as I am, euen Paul aged, and euen nowe a prisoner for Iesus Christ.

I beseeche thee for my sonne Onesimus, whome I haue begotten in my bondes,

Which in times past was to thee vnprofitable, but nowe profitable both to thee and to me,

Whome I haue sent againe: thou therefore receiue him, that is mine owne bowels,

Whom I woulde haue reteined with mee, that in thy steade he might haue ministred vnto me in the bondes of the Gospel.

But without thy minde woulde I doe nothing, that thy benefite should not be as it were of necessitie, but willingly.

It may be that he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receiue him for euer,

Not now as a seruant, but aboue a seruant, euen as a brother beloued, specially to me: howe much more then vnto thee, both in the flesh and in the Lord?

If therefore thou count our thinges common, receiue him as my selfe.

If he hath hurt thee, or oweth thee ought, that put on mine accounts.

I Paul haue written this with mine owne hande: I will recompense it, albeit I doe not say to thee, that thou owest moreouer vnto me euen thine owne selfe.

Yea, brother, let mee obteine this pleasure of thee in the Lord: comfort my bowels in the Lord.

Trusting in thine obedience, I wrote vnto thee, knowing that thou wilt do eue more then I say.

Moreouer also prepare mee lodging: for I trust through your prayers I shall be freely giuen vnto you.

There salute thee Epaphras my felowe prisoner in Christ Iesus,

Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke, my felowe helpers.

The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with your spirit, Amen. Written from Rome to Philemon, and send by Onesimus a seruant.