nkjv Philemon:1:1-24 SEEK
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Paul ,
a prisoner of Christ Jesus ,
and Timothy our brother ,
To Philemon our beloved friend and fellow laborer ,
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to the beloved Apphia ,
Archippus our fellow soldier ,
and to the church in your house :
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Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ .
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I thank my God ,
making mention of you always in my prayers ,
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hearing of your love and faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints ,
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that the sharing of your faith may become effective by the acknowledgment of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus .
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For we have great joy and consolation in your love ,
because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you ,
brother .
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Therefore ,
though I might be very bold in Christ to command you what is fitting ,
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yet for love '
s sake I rather appeal to you--being such a one as Paul ,
the aged ,
and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ --
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I appeal to you for my son Onesimus ,
whom I have begotten while in my chains ,
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who once was unprofitable to you ,
but now is profitable to you and to me .
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I am sending him back .
You therefore receive him ,
that is ,
my own heart ,
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whom I wished to keep with me ,
that on your behalf he might minister to me in my chains for the gospel .
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But without your consent I wanted to do nothing ,
that your good deed might not be by compulsion ,
as it were ,
but voluntary .
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For perhaps he departed for a while for this purpose ,
that you might receive him forever ,
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no longer as a slave but more than a slave--a beloved brother ,
especially to me but how much more to you ,
both in the flesh and in the Lord .
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If then you count me as a partner ,
receive him as you would me .
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But if he has wronged you or owes anything ,
put that on my account .
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I ,
Paul ,
am writing with my own hand .
I will repay--not to mention to you that you owe me even your own self besides .
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Yes ,
brother ,
let me have joy from you in the Lord ;
refresh my heart in the Lord .
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Having confidence in your obedience ,
I write to you ,
knowing that you will do even more than I say .
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But ,
meanwhile ,
also prepare a guest room for me ,
for I trust that through your prayers I shall be granted to you .
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Epaphras ,
my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus ,
greets you ,
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as do Mark ,
Aristarchus ,
Demas ,
Luke ,
my fellow laborers .