Philemon 1
Paul writes a personal letter to Philemon about his runaway slave Onesimus, who has become a believer and now a beloved brother. Paul appeals to Philemon to receive Onesimus back, not as a slave but as a brother in the Lord, and offers to cover any debts. This short letter demonstrates the gospel's power to transform social relationships.
PhilemonChapter 1 of 125 versesBerean Standard Bible
In this passage: JesusPaulRome
If God speaks to you through Philemon 1, record what He said in Doxa and come back to it.
Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our beloved fellow worker,
to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church that meets at your house:
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
I always thank my God, remembering you in my prayers,
because I hear about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints.
I pray that your partnership in the faith may become effective as you fully acknowledge every good thing that is ours in Christ.
I take great joy and encouragement in your love, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints.
So although in Christ I am bold enough to order you to do what is proper,
I prefer to appeal on the basis of love. For I, Paul, am now aged, and a prisoner of Christ Jesus as well.
I appeal to you for my child Onesimus, whose father I became while I was in chains.
Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.
I am sending back to you him who is my very heart.
I would have liked to keep him with me, so that on your behalf he could minister to me in my chains for the gospel.
But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that your goodness will not be out of compulsion, but by your own free will.
For perhaps this is why he was separated from you for a while, so that you might have him back for good—
no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a beloved brother. He is especially beloved to me, but even more so to you, both in person and in the Lord.
So if you consider me a partner, receive him as you would receive me.
But if he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge it to my account.
I, Paul, write this with my own hand. I will repay it—not to mention that you owe me your very self.
Yes, brother, let me have some benefit from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ.
Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask.
In the meantime, prepare a guest room for me, because I hope that through your prayers I will be restored to you.
Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you greetings,
as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.
Read next
Best Prayer Apps 2026: Hallow, Pray.com, PrayerMate & Doxa TestedWhere to keep your prayers, the answers to them, and your testimonies, compared app by app.Cross-references for Philemon 1
“because we have heard about your faith in Christ Jesus and your love for all the saints—”
“And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,”
“For if you possess these qualities and continue to grow in them, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Philemon 1:72 Corinthians 7:13
“On account of this, we are encouraged. In addition to our own encouragement, we were even more delighted by the joy of Titus. For his spirit has been refreshed by all of you.”
“With him I am sending Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you about everything here.”
Cross-references from OpenBible.info, licensed CC BY.
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If God speaks to you through Philemon 1
Doxa is where you record what God has said to you, in the words it came in, weigh it against Scripture with people you trust, and come back to it in the years that follow.
