New Revised Standard NRS
The Bible in Basic English BBE
1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our dear friend and co-worker,
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Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon, our dear helper in the faith,
2 to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house:
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And to Apphia, our sister, and to Archippus, our brother in God's army, and to the church in your house:
3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
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Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
4 When I remember you in my prayers, I always thank my God
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I give praise to God at all times and make prayer for you,
5 because I hear of your love for all the saints and your faith toward the Lord Jesus.
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Hearing of the love and the faith which you have to the Lord Jesus and to all the saints;
6 I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective when you perceive all the good that we may do for Christ.
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That the faith which you have in common with them may be working with power, in the knowledge of every good thing in you, for Christ.
7 I have indeed received much joy and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, my brother.
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For I had great joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been made strong again through you, brother.
8 For this reason, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do your duty,
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And so, though I might, in the name of Christ, give you orders to do what is right,
9 yet I would rather appeal to you on the basis of love—and I, Paul, do this as an old man, and now also as a prisoner of Christ Jesus.
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Still, because of love, in place of an order, I make a request to you, I, Paul, an old man and now a prisoner of Christ Jesus:
10 I am appealing to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I have become during my imprisonment.
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My request is for my child Onesimus, the child of my chains,
11 Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful both to you and to me.
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Who in the past was of no profit to you, but now is of profit to you and to me:
12 I am sending him, that is, my own heart, back to you.
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Whom I have sent back to you, him who is my very heart:
13 I wanted to keep him with me, so that he might be of service to me in your place during my imprisonment for the gospel;
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Though my desire was to keep him with me, to be my servant in the chains of the good news, in your place:
14 but I preferred to do nothing without your consent, in order that your good deed might be voluntary and not something forced.
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But without your approval I would do nothing; so that your good works might not be forced, but done freely from your heart.
15 Perhaps this is the reason he was separated from you for a while, so that you might have him back forever,
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For it is possible that for this reason he was parted from you for a time, so that you might have him for ever;
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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No longer as a servant, but more than a servant, a brother, very dear to me specially, but much more to you, in the flesh as well as in the Lord.
17 So if you consider me your partner, welcome him as you would welcome me.
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If then you take me to be your friend and brother, take him in as myself.
18 If he has wronged you in any way, or owes you anything, charge that to my account.
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If he has done you any wrong or is in debt to you for anything, put it to my account.
19 I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand: I will repay it. I say nothing about your owing me even your own self.
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I, Paul, writing this myself, say, I will make payment to you: and I do not say to you that you are in debt to me even for your life.
20 Yes, brother, let me have this benefit from you in the Lord! Refresh my heart in Christ.
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So brother, let me have joy of you in the Lord: give new life to my heart in Christ.
21 Confident of your obedience, I am writing to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say.
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Being certain that you will do my desire, I am writing to you, in the knowledge that you will do even more than I say.
22 One thing more—prepare a guest room for me, for I am hoping through your prayers to be restored to you.
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And make a room ready for me; for I am hoping that through your prayers I will be given to you.
23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends greetings to you,
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Epaphras, my brother-prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you his love;
24 and so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.
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And so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my brother-workers.
25 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.
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The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. So be it.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.