Geneva Bible (1599): Philemon 1

¹ Paul a prisoner of Iesus Christ, and our brother Timotheus, vnto Philemon our deare friende, and fellowe helper,

² And to our deare sister Apphia, and to Archippus our fellowe souldier, and to the Church that is in thine house:

³ Grace be with you, and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Iesus Christ.

⁴ I giue thanks to my God, making mention alwaies of thee in my praiers,

⁵ (When I heare of thy loue and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Iesus, and towarde all Saintes)

⁶ That the fellowship of thy faith may bee made effectuall, and that whatsoeuer good thing is in you through Christ Iesus, may be knowen.

⁷ For we haue great ioy and consolation in thy loue, because by thee, brother, the Saintes bowels are comforted.

⁸ Wherefore, though I bee very bolde in Christ to commaund thee that which is conuenient,

⁹ Yet for loues sake I rather beseeche thee, though I be as I am, euen Paul aged, and euen nowe a prisoner for Iesus Christ.

¹⁰ I beseeche thee for my sonne Onesimus, whome I haue begotten in my bondes,

¹¹ Which in times past was to thee vnprofitable, but nowe profitable both to thee and to me,

¹² Whome I haue sent againe: thou therefore receiue him, that is mine owne bowels,

¹³ Whom I woulde haue reteined with mee, that in thy steade he might haue ministred vnto me in the bondes of the Gospel.

¹⁴ But without thy minde woulde I doe nothing, that thy benefite should not be as it were of necessitie, but willingly.

¹⁵ It may be that he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receiue him for euer,

¹⁶ Not now as a seruant, but aboue a seruant, euen as a brother beloued, specially to me: howe much more then vnto thee, both in the flesh and in the Lord?

¹⁷ If therefore thou count our thinges common, receiue him as my selfe.

¹⁸ If he hath hurt thee, or oweth thee ought, that put on mine accounts.

¹⁹ I Paul haue written this with mine owne hande: I will recompense it, albeit I doe not say to thee, that thou owest moreouer vnto me euen thine owne selfe.

²⁰ Yea, brother, let mee obteine this pleasure of thee in the Lord: comfort my bowels in the Lord.

²¹ Trusting in thine obedience, I wrote vnto thee, knowing that thou wilt do eue more then I say.

²² Moreouer also prepare mee lodging: for I trust through your prayers I shall be freely giuen vnto you.

²³ There salute thee Epaphras my felowe prisoner in Christ Iesus,

²⁴ Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke, my felowe helpers.

²⁵ The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with your spirit, Amen. <¶ Written from Rome to Philemon, and send by Onesimus a seruant.>