[Philem 1]
1:1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy ¹our brother, to Philemon our beloved and fellow-worker,

¹Gk. the brother,

1:2 and to Apphia ²our sister, and to Archippus our fellow-soldier, and to the church in thy house:

²Gk. the sister, So ÀA I 048 1739 33 81 cop^bo arm vg. 256 and a majority of lesser Gk. mss. read the beloved

1:3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
1:4 I thank my God always, making mention of thee in my prayers,
1:5 hearing of ³thy love, and of the faith which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all the saints;

³Or, thy love and faith

1:6 that the ⁴fellowship of thy faith may become effectual, in the knowledge of every good thing which is ⁵in us, unto Christ.

⁴Or, communion or, joint participation
⁵So CA 048^vid 81 and a majority of lesser Gk. mss. But p⁶¹À 1739 33 cop^sa,bo arm read in you,

1:7 For I had much joy and comfort in thy love, because the ⁶hearts of the saints have been refreshed through thee, brother.

⁶Gk. bowels Similarly in vss. 12, 20. Reckoned by the Hebrew as the seat of compassion and mercy [cf. Ge 43:30 (A.V.)], as in English the heart is of love, and secondarily of these related passions.

1:8 Wherefore, though I have all boldness in Christ to enjoin thee that which is befitting,
1:9 yet for love’s sake I rather beseech, being such a one as Paul ⁷the aged, and now a prisoner also of Christ Jesus:

⁷Or, an ambassador, and now etc.

1:10 I beseech thee for my child, whom I have begotten in my bonds, ⁸Onesimus,

⁸The Greek word means Helpful. Cf. vs. 20 margin.

1:11 who once was unprofitable to thee, but now is profitable to thee and to me:
1:12 whom ⁹I have sent back to thee in his own person, that is, my very ¹⁰heart:

⁹So À*A 33. C* at end of verse adds Receive him, 1739 81 and the majority of lesser Gk. mss., vg read I sent back, but receive thou him, who is my etc. D* cop^sa,bo arm read I sent, but receive thou him, who is my etc.
¹⁰Or, compassion: Gk. bowels:

1:13 whom I would fain have kept with me, that in thy behalf he might minister unto me in the bonds of the ¹¹gospel:

¹¹Gk. good tidings See marginal note on Mt 4:23.

1:14 but without thy mind I would do nothing; that thy goodness should not be as of necessity, but of free will.
1:15 For perhaps he was therefore parted from thee for ¹²a season, that thou shouldest have him ¹³for ever;

¹²Gk. an hour,
¹³Or, lasting for an age. [So Liddell & Scott.] Gk. aiwnioV aiōnios, like Hb. םלוע olam, means lifetime, time without fixed limit – to unseen time. Whether an age ending with death or destruction (here, Jonah 2:6*), or forever (Mt 19:29, Da 2:20*), is to be determined by context. And so elsewhere. *Theodotian and Sept. render olam by aiōn(s).

1:16 no longer as a ¹⁴servant, but more than a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much rather to thee, both in the flesh and in the Lord.

¹⁴Gk. bondservant (both times)

1:17 If then thou countest me a partner, receive him as myself.
1:18 But if he hath wronged thee at all, or oweth anything, put that to mine account;
1:19 I Paul write it with mine own hand, I will repay it: that I say not unto thee that thou owest to me even thine own self besides.
1:20 Yes, brother, let me have ¹⁵joy of thee in the Lord: refresh my heart in Christ.

¹⁵Or, help (onaimēn) Compare vs. 10 margin.

1:21 Having confidence in thine obedience I write unto thee, knowing that thou wilt do even beyond what I say.
1:22 But withal prepare me also a lodging: for I hope that through your prayers I shall be granted unto you.
1:23 Epaphras, my fellow-prisoner in Christ Jesus, saluteth thee;
1:24 and so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow-workers.
1:25 The grace of ¹⁶the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.¹⁷

¹⁶So À 1739 33 81. But CA and a majority of lesser Gk. mss., cop^sa,bo arm vg read our Lord
¹⁷So p⁸⁷A 048^vid 1739* 33 81 cop^sa. ÀC and the majority of lesser Gk. mss., cop^bo vg add Amen.