[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,

and to Apphia our sister [Note: This was probably Philemon's wife], and to Archippus our fellow-soldier [Note: This was probably Philemon's preacher son. See Col. 4:17] and to the church [that meets] in your house.

For this reason, although in the Messiah I have complete freedom to order you to do what is proper,

I plead with you for this Child of mine, Onesimus, to whom, in my parson, I have become a Father.

And I am sending him back to you with this letter--though it is like tearing out of my very heart.

but I would not do a single thing about it without your consent, so that this kindness of yours to me might not seem to come by compulsion but voluntarily.

For it is possible that for this reason he was parted from you for a time, so that you might have him for ever;

no longer as a slave, but more than a slave—as a dearly loved brother. He is especially so to me, but even more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.

and if he did hurt to thee, or doth owe anything, this to me be reckoning;

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

20Yes, brother, I desire this favor from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in the Messiah!

I writ this upon the presumption of your compliance, being persuaded that you will even do more than I mention.

along with [John] Mark [Note: This shows that Mark was now back in the good graces of Paul. See Acts 15:36-40], Aristarchus, Demas [Note: This man later deserted Paul. See II Tim. 4:10] and Luke, who are [also] my fellow-workers. [Note: These men, unlike Epaphras who was imprisoned with Paul, were free to minister for Christ there in Rome].