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The Blue Letter Bible

Philemon 1 :: New Living Translation (NLT)

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Greetings from Paul

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Unchecked Copy Box Phm 1:1

Unchecked Copy BoxPhm 1:1 - This letter is from Paul, a prisoner for preaching the Good News about Christ Jesus, and from our brother Timothy.
I am writing to Philemon, our beloved co-worker,

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Unchecked Copy Box Phm 1:2

Unchecked Copy BoxPhm 1:2 - and to our sister Apphia, and to our fellow soldier Archippus, and to the church that meets in your[fn] house.

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Unchecked Copy Box Phm 1:3

Unchecked Copy BoxPhm 1:3 - May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.
Paul’s Thanksgiving and Prayer

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Unchecked Copy Box Phm 1:4

Unchecked Copy BoxPhm 1:4 - I always thank my God when I pray for you, Philemon,

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Unchecked Copy Box Phm 1:5

Unchecked Copy BoxPhm 1:5 - because I keep hearing about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all of God’s people.

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Unchecked Copy Box Phm 1:6

Unchecked Copy BoxPhm 1:6 - And I am praying that you will put into action the generosity that comes from your faith as you understand and experience all the good things we have in Christ.

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Unchecked Copy Box Phm 1:7

Unchecked Copy BoxPhm 1:7 - Your love has given me much joy and comfort, my brother, for your kindness has often refreshed the hearts of God’s people.
Paul’s Appeal for Onesimus

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Unchecked Copy Box Phm 1:8

Unchecked Copy BoxPhm 1:8 - That is why I am boldly asking a favor of you. I could demand it in the name of Christ because it is the right thing for you to do.

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Unchecked Copy Box Phm 1:9

Unchecked Copy BoxPhm 1:9 - But because of our love, I prefer simply to ask you. Consider this as a request from me—Paul, an old man and now also a prisoner for the sake of Christ Jesus.[fn]

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Unchecked Copy Box Phm 1:10

Unchecked Copy BoxPhm 1:10 - I appeal to you to show kindness to my child, Onesimus. I became his father in the faith while here in prison.

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Unchecked Copy Box Phm 1:11

Unchecked Copy BoxPhm 1:11 - Onesimus[fn] hasn’t been of much use to you in the past, but now he is very useful to both of us.

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Unchecked Copy Box Phm 1:12

Unchecked Copy BoxPhm 1:12 - I am sending him back to you, and with him comes my own heart.

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Unchecked Copy Box Phm 1:13

Unchecked Copy BoxPhm 1:13 - I wanted to keep him here with me while I am in these chains for preaching the Good News, and he would have helped me on your behalf.

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Unchecked Copy Box Phm 1:14

Unchecked Copy BoxPhm 1:14 - But I didn’t want to do anything without your consent. I wanted you to help because you were willing, not because you were forced.

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Unchecked Copy Box Phm 1:15

Unchecked Copy BoxPhm 1:15 - It seems you lost Onesimus for a little while so that you could have him back forever.

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Unchecked Copy Box Phm 1:16

Unchecked Copy BoxPhm 1:16 - He is no longer like a slave to you. He is more than a slave, for he is a beloved brother, especially to me. Now he will mean much more to you, both as a man and as a brother in the Lord.

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Unchecked Copy Box Phm 1:17

Unchecked Copy BoxPhm 1:17 - So if you consider me your partner, welcome him as you would welcome me.

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Unchecked Copy Box Phm 1:18

Unchecked Copy BoxPhm 1:18 - If he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge it to me.

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Unchecked Copy Box Phm 1:19

Unchecked Copy BoxPhm 1:19 - I, PAUL, WRITE THIS WITH MY OWN HAND: I WILL REPAY IT. AND I WONT MENTION THAT YOU OWE ME YOUR VERY SOUL!

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Unchecked Copy Box Phm 1:20

Unchecked Copy BoxPhm 1:20 - Yes, my brother, please do me this favor[fn] for the Lord’s sake. Give me this encouragement in Christ.

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Unchecked Copy Box Phm 1:21

Unchecked Copy BoxPhm 1:21 - I am confident as I write this letter that you will do what I ask and even more!

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Unchecked Copy Box Phm 1:22

Unchecked Copy BoxPhm 1:22 - One more thing—please prepare a guest room for me, for I am hoping that God will answer your prayers and let me return to you soon.
Paul’s Final Greetings

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Unchecked Copy Box Phm 1:23

Unchecked Copy BoxPhm 1:23 - Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you his greetings.

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Unchecked Copy Box Phm 1:24

Unchecked Copy BoxPhm 1:24 - So do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my co-workers.

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Unchecked Copy Box Phm 1:25

Unchecked Copy BoxPhm 1:25 - May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.
See the NLT Preface (Especially for Parenthesis, Brackets, & Asterisks).
NLT Footnotes
Throughout this letter, you and your are singular except in verses 3, 22, and 25.
Or a prisoner of Christ Jesus.
Onesimus means “useful.”
Greek onaimen, a play on the name Onesimus.
NLT

Holy Bible, New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Full copyright information is provided here. Visit the New Living Translation website.

For more information on this translation, see the NLT Preface.

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Philemon Chapter 1 — Additional Translations:

King James Version New King James Version New International Version English Standard Version Christian Standard Bible New American Standard Bible 2020 New American Standard Bible 1995 Legacy Standard Bible Amplified Bible New English Translation Revised Standard Version American Standard Version Young's Literal Translation Darby Translation Webster's Bible Hebrew Names Version Latin Vulgate Morphological Greek New Testament Textus Receptus Smith Van Dyck Arabic Bible Open New Arabic Version Reina Valera 1909 Reina-Valera 1960 Bible in Basic English Chinese Traditional Union Espanol Moderno Korean Holy Bible Louis Segond German Luther Russian Synodal Translation Sagradas Escrituras