THE EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO PHILEMON
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1 Paul the presoner of Iesu Christ and brother Timotheus. Vnto Philemon the beloved and oure helper 2 and to the beloved Appia and to Archippus oure felowe soudier and to the congregacion of thy housse. 3 Grace be with you and peace from God oure father and from the Lorde Iesus Christ. 4 I thake my God makinge mencio all wayes of the in my prayers 5 when I heare of thy love and fayth which thou hast towarde the Lorde Iesu and towarde all saynctes: 6 so that the fellisshippe that thou hast in the fayth is frutefull thorow knowledge of all good thinges which are in you by Iesus Christ. 7 And we have great ioye and consolacion over thy love: for by the (brother) the saynctes hertes are comforted. 8 Wherfore though I be bolde in Christ to enioyne the that which becometh the: 9 yet for loves sake I rather beseche the though I be as I am even Paul aged and now in bondes for Iesu Christes sake. 10 I beseche the for my sonne Onesimus whom I begat in my bondes 11 which in tyme passed was to the vnproffetable: but now proffetable bothe to the and also to me 12 whom I have sent home agayne. Thou therfore receave him that is to saye myne awne bowels 13 whom I wolde fayne have retayned with me that in thy stede he myght have ministred vnto me in the bondes of the gospell. 14 Neverthelesse without thy mynde wolde I doo nothinge that that good which springeth of the shuld not be as it were of necessitie but willingly. 15 Haply he therfore departed for a season that thou shuldest receave him for ever 16 not nowe as a servaut: but above a servaunt I meane a brother beloved specially to me: but how moche more vnto the both in the flesshe and also in the Lorde? 17 Yf thou count me a felowe receave him as my selfe. 18 Yf he have hurt the or oweth the ought that laye to my charge. 19 I Paul have written it with myne awne hode. I will recompence it. So that I do not saye to the howe that thou owest vnto me even thyne awne silfe. 20 Even so brother let me enioye the in the Lorde. Comforte my bowels in the Lorde. 21 Trustinge in thyne obediece I wrote vnto the knowynge that thou wilt do more then I saye for. 22 Moreover prepare me lodgynge: for I trust thorow the helpe of youre prayers I shalbe geven vnto you. 23 Ther salute ye 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 spretes. Amen. ‘Sent from Rome by Onesimus a servaunt.’