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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 & 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 commaunde 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 Lorde: comfort my bowels in the Lorde.²¹ Trusting in thine obedience, I wrote vnto thee, knowing yt 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 sent by Onesimus a seruant.