[This letter is from] Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, [and is being sent] to Philemon our dearly loved [brother] and fellow-worker,

not as a slave [only], but more than a slave, as a dearly loved brother. [He is that] to me especially, but how much more to you, both in a physical way [i.e., by continuing to serve as your slave] and in [the fellowship of] the Lord [i.e., now also as your brother in Christ].