GREETINGS

¹From Small Man (Paul), a prisoner of Creator Sets Free (Jesus) the Chosen One, and from He Gives Honor (Timothy) our spiritual brother.

To He Shows Kindness (Philemon), our much-loved friend who works side by side with us as we walk the good road. ²And also to our spiritual sister Protected One (Apphia), to Horse Chief (Archippus) our fellow warrior, and to all the sacred family members who gather for ceremony at your house.

³I greet you with peace and the gift of great kindness that comes from our Father the Great Spirit and from our Honored Chief, Creator Sets Free (Jesus) the Chosen One.

SENDING UP PRAYERS

⁴When I send my voice to the Great Spirit, I always remember to thank him for you. ⁵For I keep hearing about the trust you have toward our Honored Chief Creator Sets Free (Jesus) and the love you have for all his holy ones. ⁶I pray that as you share with others the trust you have in the Chosen One, your understanding of all the good things we have in him will keep growing deeper and stronger. ⁷The love you have shown toward others, my much-loved spiritual brother, has encouraged me and made my heart glad and has refreshed the hearts of Creator’s holy ones.

A PERSONAL REQUEST

⁸I have the freedom in the Chosen One to boldly order you to do the right thing, ⁹but instead, I am asking for your help out of love. I ask as Small Man (Paul), your elder, who is a prisoner because of Creator Sets Free (Jesus) the Chosen One.

¹⁰I call on you for the sake of He Is Helpful (Onesimus) my spiritual child, to whom I have become a spiritual father while in prison. ¹¹In the past he was not helpful to you, but he has now become helpful to both you and me. ¹²I am now sending him back to you, and with him I send my own heart. ¹³I would have liked to keep him here with me, so that while I am in prison for telling the good story he would take your place in serving me.

¹⁴But I do not want to do anything unless you agree to it. In this way, you will help me willingly and not because you think you must. ¹⁵It may be that he was away from you for a little while so he can remain with you from now on. ¹⁶Treat him not as a slave, but as more than your slave—treat him as a much-loved spiritual brother. If he is loved by me in this way, he should be loved all the more by you, both as a human being and as one who belongs to our Honored Chief.

¹⁷So if you think of me as a fellow traveler on the good road, then welcome him the same way you would welcome me. ¹⁸If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, tell me how much is owed and I will make it right. ¹⁹I, Small Man (Paul), write this with my own hand—I will pay what is owed. But must I remind you that you owe me your whole life as well? ²⁰Yes, I am asking you to do this for me as a brother in the family of our Honored Chief. Then you will make this old heart glad in the Chosen One.

FINAL WORDS

²¹I write this letter to you knowing you will do all I have asked and much more. ²²I also ask you to get a guest room ready for me, for my hope is that through your prayers I will be given back to you.

²³Walks in Beauty (Epaphras), my fellow prisoner in Creator Sets Free (Jesus) the Chosen One, sends his greetings to you, ²⁴along with War Club (Mark), Good Chief (Aristarchus), Leader of the People (Demas), and Shining Light (Luke), who work side by side with me.

²⁵May the gift of great kindness that comes from our Honored Chief, Creator Sets Free (Jesus) the Chosen One, be with your spirit.