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Philemon 1
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International Standard Version
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From: Paul, a prisoner of the Messiah Jesus, and Timothy our brother. To: Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker,
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to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house.
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May grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, be yours!
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I always thank my God when I mention you in my prayers,
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because I keep hearing about your love for all the saints and the faith that you have in the Lord Jesus.
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I pray that your partnership in the faith may become effective as you fully acknowledge every blessing that is ours in the Messiah.
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For I have received considerable joy and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed, brother, through you.
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For this reason, although in the Messiah I have complete freedom to order you to do what is proper,
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I prefer to make my appeal on the basis of love. I, Paul, as an old man and now a prisoner of the Messiah Jesus,
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appeal to you on behalf of my child Onesimus, whose father I have become during my imprisonment.
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Once he was useless to you, but now he is very useful both to you and to me.
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As I send him back, it's like I'm coming along with him.
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I wanted to keep him with me so that he could serve me in your place during my imprisonment for the gospel.
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Yet I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that your good deed might not be something forced, but voluntary.
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Perhaps this is why he was separated from you for a while, so that you could have him back forever,
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no longer as a slave but better than a slave—as a dear brother, especially to me, but even more so to you, both as a person and as a believer.
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So if you consider me a partner, welcome him as you would welcome me.
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If he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge it to my account.
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I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand: I will repay it. (I will not mention to you that you owe me your very life.)
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Yes, brother, I desire this favor from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in the Messiah!
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Confident of your obedience, I am writing to you because I know that you will do even more than I ask.
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Meanwhile, prepare a guest room for me, too, for I am hoping through your prayers to be returned to you.
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Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in the Messiah Jesus, sends you greetings,
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as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.
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May the grace of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah, be with your spirit! Amen.
The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1
Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY.
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