¹Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon, our beloved fellow worker,

¹Paulus, Kristi Jesu Fange, og Broderen Timotheus til Filemon, vor elskede og Medarbejder,

²to the beloved Apphia, to Archippus, our fellow soldier, and to the assembly in your house:

²og til Søsteren Appia og Arkippus, vor Medstrider, og Menigheden i dit Hus;

³Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

³Nåde være med eder og Fred fra Gud vor Fader og den Herre Jesus Kristus!

⁴I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers,

⁴Jeg takker min Gud altid, når jeg kommer dig i Hu i mine Bønner,

⁵hearing of your love, and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all the saints;

⁵efterdi jeg hører om din Kærlighed og den Tro, som du har til den Herre Jesus og til alle de hellige,

⁶that the fellowship of your faith may become effective, in the knowledge of every good thing which is in us in Christ Jesus.

⁶for at din Delagtighed i Troen må blive virksom for Kristus i Erkendelse af alt det gode, som er i eder.

⁷For we have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.

⁷Thi stor Glæde og Trøst har jeg fået af din Kærlighed, efterdi de helliges Hjerter ere blevne vederkvægede ved dig, Broder!

⁸Therefore though I have all boldness in Christ to command you that which is appropriate,

⁸Derfor, endskønt jeg kunde med stor Frimodighed i Kristus befale dig det, som er tilbørligt,

⁹yet for love’s sake I rather beg, being such a one as Paul, the aged, but also a prisoner of Jesus Christ.

⁹så beder jeg dig dog hellere for Kærlighedens Skyld, sådan som jeg er, som den gamle Paulus, og nu tilmed Kristi Jesu Fange;

¹⁰I beg you for my child, whom I have become the father of in my chains, Onesimus, Onesimus means “useful.”

¹⁰jeg beder dig for mit Barn, som jeg har avlet i mine Lænker, Onesimus,

¹¹who once was useless to you, but now is useful to you and to me.

¹¹ham, som tilforn var dig unyttig, men nu er nyttig både for dig og for mig, ham, som jeg sender dig tilbage,

¹²I am sending him back. Therefore receive him, that is, my own heart,

¹²ham, det er mit eget Hjerte.

¹³whom I desired to keep with me, that on your behalf he might serve me in my chains for the Good News.

¹³Ham vilde jeg gerne beholde hos mig, for at han i dit Sted kunde tjene mig i Evangeliets Lænker.

¹⁴But I was willing to do nothing without your consent, that your goodness would not be as of necessity, but of free will.

¹⁴Men, uden dit Samtykke vilde jeg intet gøre, for at din Godhed ikke skulde være som af Tvang, men af fri Villie.

¹⁵For perhaps he was therefore separated from you for a while, that you would have him forever,

¹⁵Thi måske blev han derfor skilt fra dig en liden Tid, for at du kunde få ham igen til evigt Eje,

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

¹⁶ikke mere som en Træl, men som mere end en Træl, som en elsket Broder, særlig for mig, men hvor meget mere for dig, både i Kødet og i Herren.

¹⁷If then you count me a partner, receive him as you would receive me.

¹⁷Dersom da du anser mig for din Medbroder, så modtag ham som mig!

¹⁸But if he has wronged you at all, or owes you anything, put that to my account.

¹⁸Men har han gjort dig nogen Uret eller er dig noget skyldig, da før mig det til Regning!

¹⁹I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it (not to mention to you that you owe to me even your own self besides).

¹⁹Jeg, Paulus, skriver med min egen Hånd, jeg vil betale,for ikke at sige dig, at du desuden også skylder mig dig selv.

²⁰Yes, brother, let me have joy from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in the Lord.

²⁰Ja, Broder! lad mig få Gavn af dig i Herren, vederkvæg mit Hjerte i Kristus!

²¹Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even beyond what I say.

²¹I Tillid til din Lydighed skriver jeg til dig, idet jeg ved, at du vil gøre endog mere end det, jeg siger.

²²Also, prepare a guest room for me, for I hope that through your prayers I will be restored to you.

²²Men med det samme bered også Herberge for mig; thi jeg håber, at jeg ved eders Bønner skal skænkes eder.

²³Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you,

²³Epafras, min medfangne i Kristus Jesus,

²⁴as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.

²⁴Markus, Aristarkus, Demas, Lukas, mine Medarbejdere, hilse dig.

²⁵The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

²⁵Vor Herres Jesu Kristi Nåde være med eders Ånd!