Philemon

[Portalmon]

I thought I'd start "small" - and besides, I like this letter of Paul's too

 

[Portalmon]

(NASB) - Philemon 1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our beloved brother and fellow worker,

 

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(NASB) - Philemon 2 and to Apphia our sister, and to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house:

 

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(NASB) - Philemon 3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. << a common greeting by Paul in many of his letters >>

 

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Philemon's Love and Faith

(NASB) - Philemon 4 I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers,

 

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(NASB) - Philemon 5 because I hear of your love and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints;

 

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(NASB) - Philemon 6 and I pray that the fellowship of your faith may become effective through the knowledge of every good thing which is in you for Christ's sake.

 

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(NASB) - Philemon 7 For I have come to have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.
(what an encouraging statement!)

 

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(NASB) - Philemon 8 Therefore, though I have enough confidence in Christ to order you to do what is proper,

 

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(NASB) - Philemon 9 yet for love's sake I rather appeal to you--since I am such a person as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus--

 

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Plea for Onesimus, a Free Man

(NASB) - Philemon 10 I appeal to you for my child Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my imprisonment,
(this is a good example of how to persuade someone in a Christ-like fashion)

 

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(NASB) - Philemon 11 who formerly was useless to you, but now is useful both to you and to me.

 

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(NASB) - Philemon 12 I have sent him back to you in person, that is, sending my very heart, "Sending my very heart..." wow!

 

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(NASB) - Philemon 13 whom I wished to keep with me, so that on your behalf he might minister to me in my imprisonment for the gospel;

 

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(NASB) - Philemon 14 but without your consent I did not want to do anything, so that your goodness would not be, in effect, by compulsion but of your own free will.

 

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(NASB) - Philemon 15 For perhaps he was for this reason separated from you for a while, that you would have him back forever,

 

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(NASB) - Philemon 16 no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother, especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.

 

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(NASB) - Philemon 17 If then you regard me a partner, accept him as you would me.
[ How compelling is that? ]

 

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(NASB) - Philemon 18 But if he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge that to my account;

 

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(NASB) - Philemon 19 I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand, I will repay it (not to mention to you that you owe to me even your own self as well).