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Philemon
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From Paul, who is a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and our brother Timothy. To our dear coworker Philemon,
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our sister Apphia, our fellow soldier Archippus, and the church that meets in your house.
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Good will and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ are yours!
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[Philemon,] I always thank my God when I mention you in my prayers because
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I hear about your faithfulness to the Lord Jesus and your love for all of God's people.
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As you share the faith you have in common with others, I pray that you may come to have a complete knowledge of every blessing we have in Christ.
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Your love [for God's people] gives me a lot of joy and encouragement. You, brother, have comforted God's people.
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Christ makes me bold enough to order you to do the right thing.
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However, I would prefer to make an appeal on the basis of love. I, Paul, as an old man and now a prisoner for Christ Jesus,
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appeal to you for my child Onesimus [Useful]. I became his spiritual father here in prison.
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Once he was useless to you, but now he is very useful to both of us.
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I am sending him back to you. This is like sending you a part of myself.
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I wanted to keep him here with me. Then he could have served me in your place while I am in prison for spreading the Good News.
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Yet, I didn't want to do anything without your consent. I want you to do this favor for me out of your own free will without feeling forced to do it.
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Maybe Onesimus was gone 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. He is especially dear to me, but even more so to you, both as a person and as a Christian.
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If you think of me as your partner, welcome him as you would welcome me.
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If he wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge it to me.
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I, Paul, promise to pay it back. I'm writing this with my own hand. I won't even mention that you owe me your life.
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So, because we're brothers in the Lord, do something for me. Give me some comfort because of Christ.
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I am confident as I write to you that you will do this. And I know that you will do even more than I ask.
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One more thing-have a guest room ready for me. I hope that, because of your prayers, God will give me back to you.
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Epaphras, who is a prisoner because of Christ Jesus like I am,
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and my coworkers Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke send you greetings.
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The good will of our Lord Jesus Christ be yours.