Plain English Translation: Plain English Translation

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Philemon

Chapter 1

1-2 Dear Philemon, our fellow worker and beloved brother in the faith. [1] and to our sister Apphia, and all of the church members who meet in Philemon’s house and to brother Archippus who fights with us for the Lord.

Greetings from Paul, imprisoned because of Christ Jesus and from Timothy, our brother in the faith.

3 Our prayer is that God the Father and our Lord Christ Jesus will always be kind to each of you, and watch over you so that your lives are calm under the protection of our Father and Lord.

Philemon’s love and faith

4 Every time I remember to pray for you, Brother, I’m always thankful to our God because of you. 5 I’m thankful because I’ve heard that you show much love to all of God’s people, Brother, and keep believing completely in the Lord Jesus. 6 And I pray that the faith we have will give more inspiration to you, Brother, so that we pay more attention to the good things we can do for the glory of Christ. 7 Brother Philemon, your loving deeds to all of God’s people have really pleased and encouraged me. And the hearts of all the brothers and sisters in the faith have been refreshed by your service.

Receive Onesimus as a brother in the faith

8 So actually, as an apostle sent by Christ, I could order you to do what’s proper, Brother. 9 Yet because we love each other, I prefer to request you to do it. And of course, you’ll pity me because you remember, “Paul’s already old and in prison because of serving Christ Jesus.” 10 I’m making this request of you on behalf of my son Onesimus! He’s already like my own son because he believed in Jesus through what I taught in this prison. 11 While he was still your slave, he certainly was ‘Not Useful’ to you! But now he’s already very ‘Useful,’ [2] both to you, Brother, and to me.

12 I’ve sent him who has become dear to my heart back to you! 13 I actually wanted to keep him here so that he could help me in every way, as long as I’m imprisoned because of the news of salvation, so that he would be like your substitute. For I know that if you were here, Brother, you would help me too, for sure. 14 But I don’t want to keep him without your permission, Brother! For if I keep him secretly, it’s as if you were forced to help me. But if you want to help me, Brother, I want you to do it with a willing heart.

15 Or God may have allowed him to run away from you for a while, Brother, so that after he returns he’ll always be with you. 16 Now Onesimus isn’t just a slave anymore but his rank has risen! For he has now become a beloved brother in the faith, especially to me and especially for you, as your slave and also as your brother in the faith because you’re both one with the Lord.

17 So if you consider me to be your brother in the faith, accept Onesimus back just like you accept me. 18 If he has done something wrong or is indebt to you, let me bear it! 19 I Paul am writing this with my own hand. I’ll pay all of Onesimus’ debts. And actually I don’t need to remind you, Brother, that you’re deeply indebted to me, which is the debt of your spirit and soul. Because I’m the one who gave the news of salvation to you! 20 Yes, we became brothers because of the Lord Jesus, so now it’s time for you do something useful for me, Brother! Calm my heart because of our unity with Christ. 21 I’m writing this letter with the confidence that you won’t just do what I ask, but will do more than I ask.

22 Please prepare a room for me too, because I hope that God will answer your prayers and I can come to you again.

23 Epaphras, who’s imprisoned with me because of serving Christ Jesus, sends greetings to you. 24 My fellow workers who are Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke also send you greetings.

25 I pray that the kindness of our Lord Christ Jesus will always be with each of you.

1:11 [2] The name Onesimus means “useful”. So because Onesimus was a lazy person before or because he had run away from Philemon, Paul gave him the nickname ‘Not Useful’. But since Onesimus has become a brother in the faith, Paul says in the second sentence that the former name is fitting again. See also verse 20.
1:1-2 [1] was certainly a man of high standing in the city of Laodicea which was near Colossae. Paul’s fellow worker, Epaphras, had evangelized that area. (Col. 1:7, 2:7, 4:12; Phil. 2:25-30) And at the time this letter was written, there was a congregation that met in Philemon’s house. It isn’t known whether Paul ever visited there. One of Philemon’s slaves was named Onesimus, and he probably had opportunity to hear about Paul and his teaching. After several years, Paul was imprisoned (Acts 21-26) and was finally brought to the capital city, Rome (Acts 27-28). But Onesimus, still the slave of Philemon, had run away from Philemon. Then he met Paul in prison in Rome. It isn’t clear if Onesimus looked for Paul, or if it happened that he was imprisoned in the same prison. We only know that they met and in that prison Onesimus became a believer in Jesus and helped Paul. With this letter, Paul sent Onesimus back to Philemon and asked that he not punish Onesimus. Paul asked that because at the time, every slave that ran away from his master would be punished very severely by his master, and many slaves were killed because of that. See the footnote in Eph. 6:5.