Paul's letter to Philemon

Paul, a prisoner of Yeshuwah haMashiyach, and the brother Timothy,

To Philemon, he who is beloved and our fellow worker, to the sister Apphia, to Archippus our co-campaigner and to the congregation that meets in your home:

Grace to you and shalom from 'Elohiym, our Father, and the Lord Yeshuwah haMashiyach.

I thank my 'Elohiym, always remembering you in my prayers, because I hear about you – the checed and 'emuwnah you have for the Lord Yeshuwah and for all the qadoshiym, even as the fellowship of your 'emuwnah will be effective through acknowledging everything good in you is for Yeshuwah haMashiyach. Your checed has given me great joy and encouragement, because through you, brother, the inward affections of the qadoshiym have been refreshed.

Therefore, although in the Messiah I could be bold and charge you to do what is appropriate, rather, I appeal to you on the basis of checed. I am doing so as Paul, the zaqen, and now also a prisoner of Yeshuwah haMashiyach. I appeal to you for my child Onesimus, who I brought to regeneration while I was bound. Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.

I am sending him – who is my very heart – back to you. I resolved to keep him with me so that he could take your place in helping me in this imprisonment because of the Gospel. But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that any favor you do will be willingly and not forced. Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back for good – no longer as a slave, but beyond a slave. As a dear brother, he is very dear to me but even dearer to you, both as a man and in YHWH.

So if you consider me an associate, welcome him as you would welcome me. If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me. I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand. I will pay it back – not to mention that you owe me your very self. I do wish, brother, that I may have some gratification from you in YHWH, to refresh my inward affections in the Messiah. I write to you, confident of your obedience, knowing that you will do even more than I ask.

And one thing more: Prepare a guest room for me, because I hope to be restored to you in answer to your prayers.

Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Yeshuwah haMashiyach, sends you greetings, as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke, my fellow workers.

The grace of our Lord, Yeshuwah haMashiyach, is with your nephesh. Amen.