Letters to the Churches

This is a true saying, and these thinges I will thou shouldest affirme, that they which haue beleeued God, might be carefull to shewe foorth good woorkes. These things are good and profitable vnto men.

But stay foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and brawlings about the Lawe: for they are vnprofitable and vaine.

Reiect him that is an heretike, after once or twise admonition,

Knowing that hee that is such, is peruerted, and sinneth, being damned of his owne selfe.

When I shall send Artemas vnto thee, or Tychicus, be diligent to come to mee vnto Nicopolis: for I haue determined there to winter.

Bring Zenas the expounder of the Lawe, and Apollos on their iourney diligently, that they lacke nothing.

And let ours also learne to shewe foorth good woorkes for necessary vses, that they be not vnfruitfull.

All that are with mee, salute thee. Greete them that loue vs in the faith. Grace bee with you all, Amen. To Titus, elect the first bishoppe of the Church of the Cretians, written from Nicopolis in Macedonia.

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.