Read the Bible

¹ Paul the presoner of Iesu Christ, and brother Timotheus. Vnto Philemon the beloued, and oure helper,² and to the beloued Appia, and to Archippus or felowe soudyer, and to the congregacion in thy house.³ Grace be with you, and peace from God oure father and from the LORDE Iesus Christ.⁴ I thanke my God, makynge mencion allwayes of the in my prayers⁵ (for so moch as I heare of thy loue and faith which thou hast on the LORDE Iesu, and towarde all sayntes)⁶ that oure comen faith maye be frutefull in the, thorow knowlege of all ye good that ye haue in Christ Iesu.⁷ Greate ioye and consolacion haue I in thy loue. For by the (brother) the sayntes are hertely refresshed.

⁸ Wherfore though I haue great boldnes in Christ to commaunde the that which becommeth the,⁹ yet for loues sake I rather beseke ye, though I be as I am, eue Paul aged, and now a presoner also of Iesu Christ.¹⁰ I beseke the for my sonne Onesimus (whom I haue begotten in my bondes)¹¹ which in tyme past was to the vnprofitable, but now profitable both to the and me.¹² Whom I haue sent agayne: but receaue thou him (that is) euen myne awne hert.¹³ For I wolde haue kepte him styll with me, that in thy steade he might haue mynistred vnto me in ye bondes of ye Gospell:¹⁴ Neuertheles without thy mynde wolde I do nothinge, that ye good which thou doest, shulde not be of compulsion, but wyllingly.¹⁵ Happly he therfore departed for a season, that thou shuldest receaue him for euer:¹⁶ not now as a seruaunt, but aboue a seruaunt, euen a brother beloued, specially to me, but how moch more vnto ye, both in ye flesh and in the LORDE?¹⁷ Yf thou holde me for thy companyon, receaue him then euen as my selfe.¹⁸ But yf he haue hurte the, or oweth the oughte, that laye to my charge.¹⁹ I Paul haue wrytten it with myne awne hande. I wil recompence it: so that I do not saye vnto ye, how that thou owest vnto me euen thine owne selfe.²⁰ Euen so brother, let me enioye the in the LORDE: refresh thou my hert in the LORDE.²¹ Trustinge in thine obediece, I haue wrytten vnto the, for I knowe that thou wilt do more then I saye.²² Morouer prepare me lodginge, for I hope that thorow youre prayers I shalbe geuen vnto you.²³ There saluteth the, Epaphras my felowe presoner in Christ Iesu,²⁴ Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, my helpers.²⁵ The grace of oure LORDE Iesu Christ be with youre sprete, Amen.