Philemon, a noble citizen of Colossa, had a servant named
Onesimus, who robbed him and fled to Rome, where he met St.
Paul, who was then a prisoner there the first time. The
apostle took compassion on him and received him with
tenderness and converted him to the faith; for he was a
Gentile before. St. Paul sends him back to his master with
this Epistle in his favour: and though he beseeches
Philemon to pardon him, yet the Apostle writes with
becoming dignity and authority. It contains divers
profitable instructions and points out the charity and
humanity that masters should have for their servants.
Philemon Chapter 1
He commends the faith and charity of Philemon; and sends
back to him his fugitive servant, whom he had converted in
prison.
1:1. Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy, a
brother: to Philemon, our beloved and fellow labourer,
1:2. And to Appia, our dearest sister, and to Archippus,
our fellow soldier, and to the church which is in thy
house.
1:3. Grace to you and peace, from God our Father and from
the Lord Jesus Christ.
1:4. I give thanks to my God, always making a remembrance
of thee in my prayers.
1:5. Hearing of thy charity and faith, which thou hast in
the Lord Jesus and towards all the saints:
1:6. That the communication of thy faith may be made
evident in the acknowledgment of every good work that is in
you in Christ Jesus.
1:7. For I have had great joy and consolation in thy
charity, because the bowels of the saints have been
refreshed by thee, brother.
1:8. Wherefore, though I have much confidence in Christ
Jesus to command thee that which is to the purpose:
1:9. For charity sake I rather beseech, whereas thou art
such a one, as Paul, an old man and now a prisoner also of
Jesus Christ.
1:10. I beseech thee for my son, whom I have begotten in my
bands, Onesimus,
1:11. Who hath been heretofore unprofitable to thee but now
is profitable both to me and thee:
1:12. Whom I have sent back to thee. And do thou receive
him as my own bowels.
1:13. Whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead
he might have ministered to me in the bands of the gospel.
1:14. But without thy counsel I would do nothing: that thy
good deed might not be as it were of necessity, but
voluntary.
1:15. For perhaps he therefore departed for a season from
thee that thou mightest receive him again for ever:
1:16. Not now as a servant, but instead of a servant, a
most dear brother, especially to me. But how much more to
thee, both in the flesh and in the Lord?
1:17. If therefore thou count me a partner, receive him as
myself.
1:18. And if he hath wronged thee in any thing or is in thy
debt, put that to my account.
1:19. I Paul have written it with my own hand: I will repay
it: not to say to thee that thou owest me thy own self
also.
1:20. Yea, brother. May I enjoy thee in the Lord! Refresh
my bowels in the Lord.
1:21. Trusting in thy obedience, I have written to thee:
knowing that thou wilt also do more than I say.
1:22. But withal prepare me also a lodging. For I hope that
through your prayers I shall be given unto you.
1:23. There salute thee Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in
Christ Jesus:
1:24. Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke, my fellow
labourers.
1:25. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your
spirit. Amen.
The text in this file was taken with permission from Catholic Software's Douay Bible program, a complete multimedia Bible for the PC. The complete product description follows:
Douay Bible ME: A multimedia Bible. Text and footnotes are from the 1899 version of the Douay-Rheims Bible. Supports unlimited cut and paste as well as searches. It also has a concordance, topical index, and maps. These features make it powerful and easy to use. Music and color photography make it a visual and auditory feast. However, if your computer doesn't support multimedia, you can suppress these features at installation time. Available for DOS, Windows, or Windows 95. $85.00. Order from: Catholic Software, P.O. Box 1914, Murray, KY 42071. Phone: 1-502-753-8198.
