⁹ yet for love's sake I rather beseech, being such a one as Paul the aged, and now a prisoner also of Christ Jesus:

¹ I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beseech you to walk worthily of the calling wherewith ye were called,

¹ I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, `which is' your spiritual service.

¹¹ Beloved, I beseech you as sojourners and pilgrims, to abstain from fleshly lust, which war against the soul;

¹⁹ And I exhort `you' the more exceedingly to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner.

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

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

³ Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

⁴ I thank my God always, making mention of thee in my prayers,

⁵ hearing of thy love, and of the faith which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all the saints;

⁶ that the fellowship of thy faith may become effectual, in the knowledge of every good thing which is in you, unto Christ.

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

⁸ Wherefore, though I have all boldness in Christ to enjoin thee that which is befitting,

⁹ yet for love's sake I rather beseech, being such a one as Paul the aged, and now a prisoner also of Christ Jesus:

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

¹¹ who once was unprofitable to thee, but now is profitable to thee and to me:

¹² whom I have sent back to thee in his own person, that is, my very heart:

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

¹⁴ but without thy mind I would do nothing; that thy goodness should not be as of necessity, but of free will.

¹⁵ For perhaps he was therefore parted `from thee' for a season, that thou shouldest have him for ever;

¹⁶ no longer as a servant, 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.

¹⁷ If then thou countest me a partner, receive him as myself.

¹⁸ But if he hath wronged the at all, or oweth `thee' aught, put that to mine account;

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.

²⁰ Yea, brother, let me have joy of thee in the Lord: refresh my heart in Christ.

²¹ Having confidence in thine obedience I write unto thee, knowing that thou wilt do even beyond what I say.

²² But withal prepare me also a lodging: for I hope that through your prayers I shall be granted unto you.

²³ Epaphras, my fellow-prisoner in Christ Jesus, saluteth thee;

²⁴ `and so do' Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow-workers.

²⁵ The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

¹ For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus in behalf of you Gentiles,--

¹ And working together `with him' we entreat also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain

²⁰ We are ambassadors therefore on behalf of Christ, as though God were entreating by us: we beseech `you' on behalf of Christ, be ye reconciled to God.

⁴ and even to old age I am he, and even to hoar hairs will I carry `you'; I have made, and I will bear; yea, I will carry, and will deliver.

³¹ The hoary head is a crown of glory; It shall be found in the way of righteousness.

¹⁸ Yea, even when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not, Until I have declared thy strength unto `the next' generation, Thy might to every one that is to come.

⁹ Cast me not off in the time of old age; Forsake me not when my strength faileth.