1This 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,G3972G1198G2424G5547G2532G5095G80G5371G2257G27G2532G49042and to our sister Apphia, and to our fellow soldier Archippus, and to the church that meets in your house.G2532G27G682G2532G751G2257G4961G2532G1577G2596G4675G36243May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.G5485G5213G2532G1515G575G2316G2257G3962G2532G2962G2424G55474I always thank my God when I pray for you, Philemon,G2168G3450G2316G4160G3417G4675G3842G1909G3450G43355because I keep hearing about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all of God's people.G191G4675G26G2532G4102G3739G2192G4314G2962G2424G2532G1519G3956G406And 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.G3704G2842G4675G4102G1096G1756G1722G1922G3956G18G3588G1722G5213G1519G5547G24247Your love has given me much joy and comfort, my brother, for your kindness has often refreshed the hearts of God's people.G1063G2192G4183G5485G2532G3874G1909G4675G26G3754G4698G40G373G1223G4675G808That 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.G1352G2192G4183G3954G1722G5547G2004G4671G4339But 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.G1223G26G3870G3123G3870G5607G5108G5613G3972G4246G1161G3570G2532G1198G2424G554710I appeal to you to show kindness to my child, Onesimus. I became his father in the faith while here in prison.G3870G4571G4012G1699G5043G3682G3739G1080G1722G3450G119911Onesimus hasn't been of much use to you in the past, but now he is very useful to both of us.G3588G4218G890G4671G890G1161G3570G2173G4671G2532G169812I am sending him back to you, and with him comes my own heart.G3739G375G4771G1161G4355G846G5123G1699G469813I 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.G3739G1473G1014G2722G4314G1683G2443G4675G5228G1247G3427G1722G1199G209814But I didn't want to do anything without your consent. I wanted you to help because you were willing, not because you were forced.G1161G5565G4674G1106G2309G4160G3762G3363G4675G18G5600G3363G5600G5613G2596G318G235G1595G259615It seems you lost Onesimus for a little while so that you could have him back forever.G1063G1223G5029G5563G5124G5563G4314G5610G2443G568G846G16616He 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.G3765G5613G1401G235G5228G1401G80G27G3122G1698G1161G4214G3123G4671G2532G1722G4561G2532G1722G296217So if you consider me your partner, welcome him as you would welcome me.G1487G2192G1691G3767G2844G4355G846G5613G169118If he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge it to me.G1161G1487G91G4571G2228G3784G5100G1677G5124G1677G169819I, PAUL, WRITE THIS WITH MY OWN HAND: I WILL REPAY IT. AND I WON'T MENTION THAT YOU OWE ME YOUR VERY SOUL!G1473G3972G1125G1699G5495G1473G661G3363G3004G3363G3004G4671G3754G4359G3427G2532G4572G435920Yes, my brother, please do me this favor for the Lord's sake. Give me this encouragement in Christ.G3483G80G3685G1473G3685G4675G1722G2962G373G3450G4698G1722G296221I am confident as I write this letter that you will do what I ask and even more!G3982G4675G5218G1125G4671G1492G3754G4160G2532G4160G3739G5228G300422One 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.G1161G260G2090G3427G2532G3578G1063G1679G3754G1223G5216G4335G5483G521323Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you his greetings.G782G4571G1889G3450G4869G1722G5547G242424So do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my co-workers.G3138G708G1214G3065G3450G490425May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.G5485G2257G2962G2424G5547G3326G5216G4151G281
1This letter is from Paul, a slave of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ. I have been sent to proclaim faith to those God has chosen and to teach them to know the truth that shows them how to live godly lives.G3972G1401G2316G1161G652G2424G5547G2596G4102G2316G1588G2532G1922G225G3588G2596G21502This truth gives them confidence that they have eternal life, which God—who does not lie—promised them before the world began.G1909G1680G166G2222G3739G2316G893G1861G4253G166G55503And now at just the right time he has revealed this message, which we announce to everyone. It is by the command of God our Savior that I have been entrusted with this work for him.G1161G5319G2398G2540G5319G846G3056G1722G2782G3739G4100G1473G2596G2003G2316G2257G49904I am writing to Titus, my true son in the faith that we share. May God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior give you grace and peace.G5103G1103G5043G2596G2839G4102G5485G1656G1515G575G2316G3962G2532G2962G2424G5547G2257G49905I left you on the island of Crete so you could complete our work there and appoint elders in each town as I instructed you.G5127G5484G2641G4571G1722G2914G2443G1930G3007G2532G2525G4245G2596G4172G5613G1473G1299G46716An elder must live a blameless life. He must be faithful to his wife, and his children must be believers who don't have a reputation for being wild or rebellious.G1536G2076G410G435G3391G1135G2192G4103G5043G3361G1722G2724G810G2228G5067An elder is a manager of God's household, so he must live a blameless life. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered; he must not be a heavy drinker, violent, or dishonest with money.G1063G1985G1163G1511G410G5613G3623G2316G3361G829G3361G3711G3361G3943G3361G4131G3361G1468Rather, he must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must love what is good. He must live wisely and be just. He must live a devout and disciplined life.G235G5382G5358G4998G1342G3741G14689He must have a strong belief in the trustworthy message he was taught; then he will be able to encourage others with wholesome teaching and show those who oppose it where they are wrong.G472G4103G3056G2596G1322G2443G5600G1415G1722G5198G1319G2532G3870G2532G1651G48310For there are many rebellious people who engage in useless talk and deceive others. This is especially true of those who insist on circumcision for salvation.G1063G1526G4183G506G2532G3151G2532G5423G3122G1537G406111They must be silenced, because they are turning whole families away from the truth by their false teaching. And they do it only for money.G3739G1993G1163G1993G3748G396G3650G3624G1321G3739G1163G3361G5484G150G2771G548412Even one of their own men, a prophet from Crete, has said about them, "The people of Crete are all liars, cruel animals, and lazy gluttons."G5100G1537G846G4396G846G2398G2036G2912G104G5583G2556G2342G692G106413This is true. So reprimand them sternly to make them strong in the faith.G3778G3141G2076G227G1223G3739G156G1651G846G664G2443G5198G1722G410214They must stop listening to Jewish myths and the commands of people who have turned away from the truth.G3361G4337G2451G3454G2532G1785G444G654G22515Everything is pure to those whose hearts are pure. But nothing is pure to those who are corrupt and unbelieving, because their minds and consciences are corrupted.G2513G3956G3303G2513G1161G3392G2532G571G3762G2513G235G2532G846G3563G2532G4893G339216Such people claim they know God, but they deny him by the way they live. They are detestable and disobedient, worthless for doing anything good.G3670G1492G2316G1161G2041G720G5607G947G2532G545G2532G4314G3956G18G2041G96
2As for you, Titus, promote the kind of living that reflects wholesome teaching.G1161G2980G4771G3739G4241G5198G1319 2Teach the older men to exercise self-control, to be worthy of respect, and to live wisely. They must have sound faith and be filled with love and patience.G4246G1511G3524G4586G4998G5198G4102G26G5281 3Similarly, teach the older women to live in a way that honors God. They must not slander others or be heavy drinkers. Instead, they should teach others what is good.G4247G5615G1722G2688G2412G3361G1228G3361G1402G4183G3631G2567 4These older women must train the younger women to love their husbands and their children,G2443G4994G3501G1511G4994G5362G5388 5to live wisely and be pure, to work in their homes, to do good, and to be submissive to their husbands. Then they will not bring shame on the word of God.G4998G53G3626G18G5293G2398G435G3363G3056G2316G987G3363G987 6In the same way, encourage the young men to live wisely.G3501G5615G3870G4993 7And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching.G4012G3956G3930G4572G5179G2570G2041G1722G1319G90G4587G861 8Teach the truth so that your teaching can't be criticized. Then those who oppose us will be ashamed and have nothing bad to say about us.G5199G3056G176G2443G1537G1727G1788G2192G3367G5337G3367G3004G4012G5216 9Slaves must always obey their masters and do their best to please them. They must not talk backG1401G5293G2398G1203G1511G2101G1722G3956G3361G483 10or steal, but must show themselves to be entirely trustworthy and good. Then they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive in every way.G3361G3557G235G1731G3956G18G4102G2443G2885G1319G2316G2257G4990G1722G3956 11For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people.G1063G5485G2316G4992G2014G3956G444 12And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God,G3811G2248G2443G720G763G2532G2886G1939G2198G4996G2532G1346G2532G2153G1722G3568G165 13while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed.G4327G3107G1680G2532G1391G2015G3173G2316G2532G2257G4990G2424G5547 14He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds.G3739G1325G1438G5228G2257G2443G3084G2248G575G3956G458G2532G2511G1438G4041G2992G2207G2570G2041 15You must teach these things and encourage the believers to do them. You have the authority to correct them when necessary, so don't let anyone disregard what you say.G5023G2980G2532G3870G2532G1651G3326G3956G2003G4065G3367G4065G4675
3Remind the believers to submit to the government and its officers. They should be obedient, always ready to do what is good.G5279G846G5279G5293G746G2532G1849G3980G1511G2092G4314G3956G18G2041 2They must not slander anyone and must avoid quarreling. Instead, they should be gentle and show true humility to everyone.G987G3367G1511G269G1933G1731G3956G4236G4314G3956G444 3Once we, too, were foolish and disobedient. We were misled and became slaves to many lusts and pleasures. Our lives were full of evil and envy, and we hated each other.G1063G2249G2532G2258G453G4218G453G545G4105G1398G4164G1939G2532G2237G1236G1722G2549G2532G5355G4767G3404G240 4But—"When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love,G1161G3753G5544G2532G5363G2316G2257G4990G5363G2014 5he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit.G3756G1537G2041G1722G1343G3739G2249G4160G235G2596G846G1656G4982G2248G1223G3067G3824G2532G342G40G4151 6He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior.G3739G1632G1909G2248G4146G1223G2424G5547G2257G4990 7Because of his grace he declared us righteous and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life."G2443G1344G1565G5485G1096G2818G2596G1680G166G2222 8This is a trustworthy saying, and I want you to insist on these teachings so that all who trust in God will devote themselves to doing good. These teachings are good and beneficial for everyone.G4103G3056G2532G4012G5130G1014G4571G1226G2443G4100G2316G5431G4291G2570G2041G5023G2076G2570G2532G5624G444 9Do not get involved in foolish discussions about spiritual pedigrees or in quarrels and fights about obedience to Jewish laws. These things are useless and a waste of time.G1161G4026G3474G2214G2532G1076G2532G2054G2532G3163G3544G1063G1526G512G2532G3152 10If people are causing divisions among you, give a first and second warning. After that, have nothing more to do with them.G444G141G3326G3391G2532G1208G3559G3868 11For people like that have turned away from the truth, and their own sins condemn them.G1492G3754G5108G1612G2532G264G5607G843 12I am planning to send either Artemas or Tychicus to you. As soon as one of them arrives, do your best to meet me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to stay there for the winter.G3752G3992G734G4314G4571G2228G5190G4704G2064G4314G3165G1519G3533G1063G2919G1563G3914 13Do everything you can to help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos with their trip. See that they are given everything they need.G4311G2211G3544G2532G625G4311G4709G2443G3367G3007G846 14Our people must learn to do good by meeting the urgent needs of others; then they will not be unproductive.G1161G3129G2251G2532G3129G4291G2570G2041G1519G316G5532G3363G5600G3363G175 15Everybody here sends greetings. Please give my greetings to the believers—all who love us. May God's grace be with you all.G3956G3326G1700G782G4571G782G5368G2248G1722G4102G5485G3326G5216G3956G281
Dublin, OH
house.G2532
