Philemon 1:1 - Prayer Tents

1I, Paul, am a prisoner for the sake of Christ, here with my brother Timothy. I write this letter to you, Philemon, my good friend and companion in this work—G3972G1198G2424G5547G2532G5095G80G5371G2257G27G2532G4904 2also to our sister Apphia, to Archippus, a real trooper, and to the church that meets in your house.G2532G27G682G2532G751G2257G4961G2532G1577G2596G4675G3624 3God's best to you! Christ's blessings on you!G5485G5213G2532G1515G575G2316G2257G3962G2532G2962G2424G5547 4Every time your name comes up in my prayers, I say, "Oh, thank you, God!G2168G3450G2316G4160G3417G4675G3842G1909G3450G4335 5" I keep hearing of the love and faith you have for the Master Jesus, which brims over to other Christians.G191G4675G26G2532G4102G3739G2192G4314G2962G2424G2532G1519G3956G40 6And I keep praying that this faith we hold in common keeps showing up in the good things we do, and that people recognize Christ in all of it.G3704G2842G4675G4102G1096G1756G1722G1922G3956G18G3588G1722G5213G1519G5547G2424 7Friend, you have no idea how good your love makes me feel, doubly so when I see your hospitality to fellow believers.G1063G2192G4183G5485G2532G3874G1909G4675G26G3754G4698G40G373G1223G4675G80

To Call the Slave Your Friend

8In line with all this I have a favor to ask of you. As Christ's ambassador and now a prisoner for him, I wouldn't hesitate to command this if I thought it necessary,G1352G2192G4183G3954G1722G5547G2004G4671G433 9but I'd rather make it a personal request.G1223G26G3870G3123G3870G5607G5108G5613G3972G4246G1161G3570G2532G1198G2424G5547 10While here in jail, I've fathered a child, so to speak. And here he is, hand-carrying this letter—Onesimus!G3870G4571G4012G1699G5043G3682G3739G1080G1722G3450G1199 11He was useless to you before; now he's useful to both of us.G3588G4218G890G4671G890G1161G3570G2173G4671G2532G1698 12I'm sending him back to you, but it feels like I'm cutting off my right arm in doing so.G3739G375G4771G1161G4355G846G5123G1699G4698 13I wanted in the worst way to keep him here as your stand-in to help out while I'm in jail for the Message.G3739G1473G1014G2722G4314G1683G2443G4675G5228G1247G3427G1722G1199G2098 14But I didn't want to do anything behind your back, make you do a good deed that you hadn't willingly agreed to.G1161G5565G4674G1106G2309G4160G3762G3363G4675G18G5600G3363G5600G5613G2596G318G235G1595G2596 15Maybe it's all for the best that you lost him for a while. You're getting him back now for good—G1063G1223G5029G5563G5124G5563G4314G5610G2443G568G846G166 16and no mere slave this time, but a true Christian brother! That's what he was to me—he'll be even more than that to you.G3765G5613G1401G235G5228G1401G80G27G3122G1698G1161G4214G3123G4671G2532G1722G4561G2532G1722G2962 17So if you still consider me a comrade-in-arms, welcome him back as you would me.G1487G2192G1691G3767G2844G4355G846G5613G1691 18If he damaged anything or owes you anything, chalk it up to my account.G1161G1487G91G4571G2228G3784G5100G1677G5124G1677G1698 19This is my personal signature—Paul—and I stand behind it. (I don't need to remind you, do I, that you owe your very life to me?)G1473G3972G1125G1699G5495G1473G661G3363G3004G3363G3004G4671G3754G4359G3427G2532G4572G4359 20Do me this big favor, friend. You'll be doing it for Christ, but it will also do my heart good.G3483G80G3685G1473G3685G4675G1722G2962G373G3450G4698G1722G2962 21I know you well enough to know you will. You'll probably go far beyond what I've written.G3982G4675G5218G1125G4671G1492G3754G4160G2532G4160G3739G5228G3004 22And by the way, get a room ready for me. Because of your prayers, I fully expect to be your guest again.G1161G260G2090G3427G2532G3578G1063G1679G3754G1223G5216G4335G5483G5213 23Epaphras, my cellmate in the cause of Christ, says hello.G782G4571G1889G3450G4869G1722G5547G2424 24Also my coworkers Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke.G3138G708G1214G3065G3450G4904 25All the best to you from the Master, Jesus Christ!G5485G2257G2962G2424G5547G3326G5216G4151G281