Paulus vinctus Christi Jesu, et Timotheus frater, Philemoni dilecto, et adjutori nostro,

Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy, a brother: to Philemon, our beloved and fellow labourer;

Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy, who is their brother, to the well beloved Philemon, who shares our labours,

et Appiæ sorori carissimæ, et Archippo commilitoni nostro, et ecclesiæ, quæ in domo tua est.

And to Appia, our dearest sister, and to Archippus, our fellow soldier, and to the church which is in thy house:

and to all the church that is in his household, to our dear sister Appia, Archippus, who fights the same battle with ourselves, and the rest;

Gratia vobis, et pax a Deo Patre nostro, et Domino Jesu Christo.

Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Grace and peace be yours from God, our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Gratias ago Deo meo, semper memoriam tui faciens in orationibus meis,

I give thanks to my God, always making a remembrance of thee in my prayers.

I give thanks to my God at all times, remembering thee in my prayers;

audiens caritatem tuam, et fidem, quam habes in Domino Jesu, et in omnes sanctos:

Hearing of thy charity and faith, which thou hast in the Lord Jesus, and towards all the saints:

such accounts I hear of the love and faith thou shewest towards the Lord Jesus and towards all the saints.

ut communicatio fidei tuæ evidens fiat in agnitione omnis operis boni, quod est in vobis in Christo Jesu.

That the communication of thy faith may be made evident in the acknowledgment of every good work, that is in you in Christ Jesus.

May thy generosity in the faith be made known, when all your good actions are recognized in Christ Jesus.

Gaudium enim magnum habui, et consolationem in caritate tua: quia viscera sanctorum requieverunt per te, frater.

For I have had great joy and consolation in thy charity, because the bowels of the saints have been refreshed by thee, brother.

It has been a happiness and a comfort to me to hear of thy charity, brother, and of the refreshment thou hast brought to the hearts of the saints.

Propter quod multam fiduciam habens in Christo Jesu imperandi tibi quod ad rem pertinet:

Wherefore though I have much confidence in Christ Jesus, to command thee that which is to the purpose:

And now, though I might well make bold in Christ to prescribe a duty to thee,

propter caritatem magis obsecro, cum sis talis, ut Paulus senex, nunc autem et vinctus Jesu Christi:

For charity sake I rather beseech, whereas thou art such a one, as Paul an old man, and now a prisoner also of Jesus Christ.

I prefer to appeal to this charity of thine. Who is it that writes to thee? Paul, an old man now, and in these days the prisoner, too, of Jesus Christ;

obsecro te pro meo filio, quem genui in vinculis, Onesimo,

I beseech thee for my son, whom I have begotten in my bands, Onesimus,

and I am appealing to thee on behalf of Onesimus, the child of my imprisonment.

qui tibi aliquando inutilis fuit, nunc autem et mihi et tibi utilis,

Who hath been heretofore unprofitable to thee, but now is profitable both to me and thee,

He did thee an ill service once; now, both to thee and to myself, he can be serviceable,

quem remisi tibi. Tu autem illum, ut mea viscera, suscipe:

Whom I have sent back to thee. And do thou receive him as my own bowels.

and I am sending him back to thee; make him welcome, for my heart goes with him.

quem ego volueram mecum detinere, ut pro te mihi ministraret in vinculis Evangelii:

Whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead he might have ministered to me in the bands of the gospel:

I would sooner have kept him here with me, to attend, as thy deputy, on a prisoner of the gospel,

sine consilio autem tuo nihil volui facere, uti ne velut ex necessitate bonum tuum esset, sed voluntarium.

But without thy counsel I would do nothing: that thy good deed might not be as it were of necessity, but voluntary.

but I would do nothing without thy leave; thy generosity should be exercised freely, not from lack of choice.

Forsitan enim ideo discessit ad horam a te, ut æternum illum reciperes:

For perhaps he therefore departed for a season from thee, that thou mightest receive him again for ever:

Perhaps, after all, the very purpose of thy losing him for a time was that thou mightest have him always by thee.

jam non ut servum, sed pro servo carissimum fratrem, maxime mihi: quanto autem magis tibi et in carne, et in Domino?

Not now as a servant, but instead of a servant, a most dear brother, especially to me: but how much more to thee both in the flesh and in the Lord?

Do not think of him any longer as a slave; he is something more than a slave, a well loved brother, to me in a special way; much more, then, to thee, now that both nature and Christ make him thy own.

Si ergo habes me socium, suscipe illum sicut me:

If therefore thou count me a partner, receive him as myself.

As thou dost value thy fellowship with me, make him welcome as thou wouldst myself;

si autem aliquid nocuit tibi, aut debet, hoc mihi imputa.

And if he hath wronged thee in any thing, or is in thy debt, put that to my account.

if he has wronged thee, or is in thy debt, make me answerable for it.

Ego Paulus scripsi mea manu: ego reddam, ut non dicam tibi, quod et teipsum mihi debes:

I Paul have written it with my own hand: I will repay it: not to say to thee, that thou owest me thy own self also.

Here is a message in Paul’s own hand; I will make it good. Not to remind thee that thou owest me a debt already, thy own self.

ita, frater. Ego te fruar in Domino: refice viscera mea in Domino.

Yea, brother. May I enjoy thee in the Lord. Refresh my bowels in the Lord.

And now, brother, let me claim thy services; give comfort in the Lord to my anxious heart.

Confidens in obedientia tua scripsi tibi: sciens quoniam et super id, quod dico, facies.

Trusting in thy obedience, I have written to thee: knowing that thou wilt also do more than I say.

I write to thee counting on thy obedience, well assured that thou wilt do even more than I ask.

Simul autem et para mihi hospitium: nam spero per orationes vestras donari me vobis.

But withal prepare me also a lodging. For I hope that through your prayers I shall be given unto you.

Be prepared, meanwhile, to entertain me; I hope, through your prayers, to be restored to you.

Salutat te Epaphras concaptivus meus in Christo Jesu,

There salute thee Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus;

Greetings to you from Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus;

Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, et Lucas, adjutores mei.

Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke my fellow labourers.

from Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke, who share my labours.

Gratia Domini nostri Jesu Christi cum spiritu vestro. Amen.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.