Philemon 8-14

Modern English Version

Paul Pleads for Onesimus

⁸ Therefore, though I might be very bold in Christ to command you to do that which is proper, ⁹ yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you—I, Paul, an old man, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ— ¹⁰ I appeal to you on behalf of my son Onesimus, whose father I have become in my imprisonment, ¹¹ who in the past was unprofitable to you, but now he is profitable to you and to me.

¹² I have sent him back. Therefore receive him as my own heart. ¹³ I wanted to keep him with me, so that in your place he might serve me during my imprisonment for the gospel. ¹⁴ But without your consent I would do nothing, so that your goodness would not be forced, but given willingly.