{"meta":{"source":"Prime Bible","sourceUrl":"https://primebible.com","license":"Public domain (translation text); see citation policy at /citation-policy","organization":"501(c)(3) nonprofit — EIN 41-2531951","canonicalUrl":"https://primebible.com/wnt/philemon/1","llmTxt":"https://primebible.com/llms.txt","generatedAt":"2026-05-27T01:13:39.643Z"},"reference":{"translation":"WNT","book":"Philemon","bookSlug":"philemon","chapter":1,"testament":"NEW"},"navigation":{"previousChapter":null,"nextChapter":null,"totalChapters":1,"totalVerses":25},"verses":[{"verseNumber":1,"text":"Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother: To Philemon our dearly-loved fellow labourer--"},{"verseNumber":2,"text":"and to our sister Apphia and our comrade Archippus--as well as to the  Church in your house."},{"verseNumber":3,"text":"May grace be granted to you all, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."},{"verseNumber":4,"text":"I give continual thanks to my God while making mention of you, my brother, in my prayers,"},{"verseNumber":5,"text":"because I hear of your love and of the faith which you have towards the Lord Jesus and which you manifest towards all God's people;"},{"verseNumber":6,"text":"praying as I do, that their participation in your faith may result in others fully recognizing all the right affection that is in us toward Christ."},{"verseNumber":7,"text":"For I have  found great  joy and comfort in your love, because the  hearts of God's people have been, and are, refreshed through you, my brother."},{"verseNumber":8,"text":"Therefore,  though I might with Christ's authority speak very freely and order you to do what is fitting,"},{"verseNumber":9,"text":"it is for love's sake that--instead of that--although I am none other than Paul the aged, and am now also a prisoner for Christ Jesus,"},{"verseNumber":10,"text":"I entreat you on behalf of my own child whose father I have become while in my chains--I mean Onesimus."},{"verseNumber":11,"text":"Formerly he was useless to you, but now--true to his name--he is of great use to you and to me."},{"verseNumber":12,"text":"I  am sending him back to you, though in so doing I send part of myself."},{"verseNumber":13,"text":"It was my wish to keep him at my side for him to attend to my wants, as your representative, during my imprisonment for the Good News."},{"verseNumber":14,"text":"Only I wished to do nothing without your consent, so that his kind action of yours might not be done under pressure, but might be a voluntary one."},{"verseNumber":15,"text":"For perhaps it was  for this reason he was parted from you for a time, that you might receive him back wholly and for ever yours;"},{"verseNumber":16,"text":"no longer as a slave, but as something better than a slave--a brother peculiarly dear to me, and even dearer to you, both as a servant and as a fellow Christian."},{"verseNumber":17,"text":"If therefore you regard me as a comrade, receive him as if he were I myself."},{"verseNumber":18,"text":"And if he was ever dishonest or is in your debt,  debit me with the amount."},{"verseNumber":19,"text":"I Paul write this with my own hand--I will pay you in full. (I say nothing of the fact that you owe me even your own self.)"},{"verseNumber":20,"text":"Yes, brother, do me this favour for the Lord's sake. Refresh my heart in Christ."},{"verseNumber":21,"text":"I write to you in the full confidence that you will meet my wishes, for I know you will do even more than I say."},{"verseNumber":22,"text":"And at the same time provide accommodation for me; for I hope that through your prayers I shall be permitted to come to you."},{"verseNumber":23,"text":"Greetings to you, my brother, from Epaphras my fellow prisoner for the sake of Christ Jesus;"},{"verseNumber":24,"text":"and from Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers."},{"verseNumber":25,"text":"May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with the spirit of  every one of you."}],"citation":{"inline":"Philemon 1 (WNT)","markdown":"[Philemon 1](https://primebible.com/wnt/philemon/1)","sbl":"Prime Bible. *The Bible.* WNT. https://primebible.com/wnt/philemon/1 (accessed 2026-05-27)."}}