| New King James Version (NKJV) |
New International Version (NIV) |
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1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our beloved friend and fellow laborer,
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1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker,
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2 to the beloved Apphia, Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house:
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2 to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier and to the church that meets in your home:
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3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
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3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
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4 I thank my God, making mention of you always in my prayers,
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4 I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers,
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5 hearing of your love and faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints,
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5 because I hear about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints.
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6 that the sharing of your faith may become effective by the acknowledgment of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.
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6 I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.
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7 For we have great joy and consolation in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother.
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7 Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints.
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8 Therefore, though I might be very bold in Christ to command you what is fitting,
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8 Therefore, although in Christ I could be bold and order you to do what you ought to do,
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9 yet for love's sake I rather appeal to you--being such a one as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ--
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9 yet I appeal to you on the basis of love. I then, as Paul--an old man and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus--
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10 I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten while in my chains,
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10 I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, who became my son while I was in chains.
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11 who once was unprofitable to you, but now is profitable to you and to me.
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11 Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.
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12 I am sending him back. You therefore receive him, that is, my own heart,
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12 I am sending him--who is my very heart--back to you.
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13 whom I wished to keep with me, that on your behalf he might minister to me in my chains for the gospel.
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13 I would have liked to keep him with me so that he could take your place in helping me while I am in chains for the gospel.
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14 But without your consent I wanted to do nothing, that your good deed might not be by compulsion, as it were, but voluntary.
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14 But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that any favor you do will be spontaneous and not forced.
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15 For perhaps he departed for a while for this purpose, that you might receive him forever,
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15 Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back for good--
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16 no longer as a slave but more than a slave--a beloved brother, especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.
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16 no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother. He is very dear to me but even dearer to you, both as a man and as a brother in the Lord.
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17 If then you count me as a partner, receive him as you would me.
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17 So if you consider me a partner, welcome him as you would welcome me.
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18 But if he has wronged you or owes anything, put that on my account.
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18 If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me.
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19 I, Paul, am writing with my own hand. I will repay--not to mention to you that you owe me even your own self besides.
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19 I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand. I will pay it back--not to mention that you owe me your very self.
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20 Yes, brother, let me have joy from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in the Lord.
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20 I do wish, brother, that I may have some benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ.
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21 Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say.
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21 Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask.
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22 But, meanwhile, also prepare a guest room for me, for I trust that through your prayers I shall be granted to you.
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22 And one thing more: Prepare a guest room for me, because I hope to be restored to you in answer to your prayers.
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23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you,
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23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you greetings.
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24 as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow laborers.
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24 And so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke, my fellow workers.
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25 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
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25 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.
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| Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. (New King James Version) |
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide. (New International Version Bible Online) |
