Duties of the Older and Younger

2 But as for you, speak the things which are fitting for ^(A)sound doctrine. ^2 (B)Older men are to be ^(C)temperate, dignified, sensible, ^(D)sound ^(E)in faith, in love, in ^[a]perseverance.

³ Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, ^(F)not malicious gossips nor ^(G)enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, ⁴ so that they may ^[b]encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, ⁵ to be sensible, pure, ^(H)workers at home, kind, being ^(I)subject to their own husbands, ^(J)so that the word of God will not be dishonored.

⁶ Likewise urge ^(K)the young men to be ^[c]sensible; ⁷ in all things show yourself to be ^(L)an example of good deeds, with ^[d]purity in doctrine, dignified, ⁸ sound in speech which is beyond reproach, so ^(M)that the opponent will be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us.

⁹ Urge ^(N)bondslaves to be subject to their own masters in everything, to be well-pleasing, not ^[e]argumentative, ¹⁰ not pilfering, but showing all good faith so that they will adorn the doctrine of ^(O)God our Savior in every respect.

¹¹ For the grace of God has ^(P)appeared, ^[f](Q)bringing salvation to all men, ^12 [g]instructing us to deny ungodliness and ^(R)worldly desires and ^(S)to live sensibly, righteously and godly ^(T)in the present age, ¹³ looking for the blessed hope and the ^(U)appearing of the glory of ^[h](V)our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, ¹⁴ who ^(W)gave Himself for us ^(X)to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to ^(Y)purify for Himself a ^(Z)people for His own possession, ^(AA)zealous for good deeds.

¹⁵ These things speak and ^(AB)exhort and ^(AC)reprove with all ^[i]authority. ^(AD)Let no one disregard you.

Salutation

^1 (A)Paul, ^(B)a prisoner of ^(C)Christ Jesus, and ^(D)Timothy ^[a]our brother,

To Philemon our beloved brother and ^(E)fellow worker, ² and to Apphia ^[b](F)our sister, and to ^(G)Archippus our ^(H)fellow soldier, and to ^(I)the church in your house: ^3 (J)Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Philemon’s Love and Faith

^4 (K)I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers, ⁵ because I ^(L)hear of your love and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the ^[c]saints; ⁶ and I pray that the fellowship of your faith may become effective ^[d]through the ^(M)knowledge of every good thing which is in you ^[e]for Christ’s sake. ⁷ For I have come to have much ^(N)joy and comfort in your love, because the ^[f]hearts of the ^[g]saints have been ^(O)refreshed through you, brother.

⁸ Therefore, ^(P)though I have ^[h]enough confidence in Christ to order you to do what is ^(Q)proper, ⁹ yet for love’s sake I rather ^(R)appeal to you—since I am such a person as Paul, ^[i]the ^(S)aged, and now also ^(T)a prisoner of ^(U)Christ Jesus—

Plea for Onesimus, a Free Man

¹⁰ I ^(V)appeal to you for my ^(W)child ^[j](X)Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my ^[k]imprisonment, ¹¹ who formerly was useless to you, but now is useful both to you and to me. ¹² I have sent him back to you in person, that is, sending my very heart, ¹³ whom I wished to keep with me, so that on your behalf he might minister to me in my ^[l](Y)imprisonment for the gospel; ¹⁴ but without your consent I did not want to do anything, so that your goodness would ^(Z)not be, in effect, by compulsion but of your own free will. ¹⁵ For perhaps ^(AA)he was for this reason separated from you for a while, that you would have him back forever, ^16 (AB)no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, ^(AC)a beloved brother, especially to me, but how much more to you, both ^(AD)in the flesh and in the Lord.

¹⁷ If then you regard me a ^(AE)partner, accept him as you would me. ¹⁸ But if he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge that to my account; ^19 (AF)I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand, I will repay it (^(AG)not to ^[m]mention to you that you owe to me even your own self as well). ²⁰ Yes, brother, let me benefit from you in the Lord; ^(AH)refresh my heart in Christ.

^21 (AI)Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, since I know that you will do even more than what I say.

²² At the same time also prepare me a ^(AJ)lodging, for ^(AK)I hope that through ^(AL)your prayers ^(AM)I will be given to you.

^23 (AN)Epaphras, my ^(AO)fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you, ²⁴ as do ^(AP)Mark, ^(AQ)Aristarchus, ^(AR)Demas, ^(AS)Luke, my ^(AT)fellow workers.

^25 (AU)The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be ^(AV)with your spirit.^[n]