and to [your wife] Apphia our sister, and to Archippus our fellow soldier [in ministry], and to the church that meets in your house:

I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective and powerful because of your accurate knowledge of every good thing which is ours in Christ.

I would have chosen to keep him with me, so that he might minister to me on your behalf during my imprisonment for the gospel;

but I did not want to do anything without first getting your consent, so that your goodness would not be, in effect, by compulsion but of your own free will.

Perhaps it was for this reason that he was separated from you for a while, so that you would have him back forever,

But if he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge that to my account;

I, Paul, write this with my own hand, I will repay it in full (not to mention to you that you owe to me even your own self as well).

I write to you [perfectly] confident of your obedient compliance, since I know that you will do even more than I ask.