Philemon 1 – NIRV & CRO

New International Reader’s Version

Philemon 1:1-25

1I, Paul, am writing this letter. I am a prisoner because of Christ Jesus. Our brother Timothy joins me in writing.

Philemon, we are sending you this letter. You are our dear friend. You work together with us. 2We are also sending it to our sister Apphia and to Archippus. He is a soldier of Christ together with us. And we are sending it to the church that meets in your home.

3May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.

Paul Prays and Gives Thanks

4I always thank my God when I remember you in my prayers. 5That’s because I hear about your love for all God’s people. I also hear about your faith in the Lord Jesus. 6I pray that what we share by believing will help you understand even more. Then you will completely understand every good thing we share by believing in Christ. 7Your love has given me great joy. It has encouraged me. My brother, you have renewed the hearts of the Lord’s people.

Paul Makes an Appeal for Onesimus

8Because of the authority Christ has given me, I could be bold. I could order you to do what you should do anyway. 9But we love each other. And I would rather appeal to you on the basis of that love. I, Paul, am an old man. I am now also a prisoner because of Christ Jesus. 10I am an old man, and I’m in prison. This is how I make my appeal to you for my son Onesimus. He became a son to me while I was being held in chains. 11Before that, he was useless to you. But now he has become useful to you and to me.

12I’m sending Onesimus back to you. All my love for him goes with him. 13I’m being held in chains because of the good news. So I would have liked to keep Onesimus with me. And he could take your place in helping me. 14But I didn’t want to do anything unless you agreed. Any favor you do must be done because you want to do it, not because you have to. 15Onesimus was separated from you for a little while. Maybe that was so you could have him back forever. 16You could have him back not as a slave. Instead, he would be better than a slave. He would be a dear brother. He is very dear to me but even more dear to you. He is dear to you not only as another human being. He is also dear to you as a brother in the Lord.

17Do you think of me as a believer who works together with you? Then welcome Onesimus as you would welcome me. 18Has he done anything wrong to you? Does he owe you anything? Then charge it to me. 19I’ll pay it back. I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand. I won’t even mention that you owe me your life. 20My brother, we both belong to the Lord. So I wish I could receive some benefit from you. Renew my heart. We know that Christ is the one who really renews it. 21I’m sure you will obey. So I’m writing to you. I know you will do even more than I ask.

22There is one more thing. Have a guest room ready for me. I hope I can return to all of you in answer to your prayers.

23Epaphras sends you greetings. Together with me, he is a prisoner because of Christ Jesus.

24Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke work together with me. They also send you greetings.

25May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

Knijga O Kristu

Filemonu 1:1-25

Pavlovi pozdravi

1Ovo je pismo od Pavla, koji je u zatvoru zbog propovijedanja Radosne vijesti o Isusu Kristu, i od našega brata Timoteja.

Pišem ga svojemu dragom suradniku Filemonu, 2našoj sestri Apiji i Arhipu koji je kao i ja borac za Krista, te Crkvi koja se sastaje u tvojemu domu.

3Neka vam je milost i mir od našega Boga Oca i Gospodina Isusa Krista.

Pavlova molitva zahvalnosti

4Uvijek zahvaljujem Bogu kad se molim za tebe, Filemone, 5jer čujem o tvojoj vjeri u Gospodina Isusa i o tvojoj ljubavi prema svima svetima. 6Zbog svoje vjere si velikodušan i njeguješ zajedništvo. Molim se da to urodi spoznanjem svakoga dobra koje valja činiti među vama zaradi Krista. 7Silno si me razveselio i utješio svojom ljubavlju, dragi brate, jer si okrijepio srca svetih.

Pavlova molba za Onezima

8I zato, iako ti u Kristu imam puno pravo zapovjediti što da učiniš, 9zaradi ljubavi te, kakav već jesam, radije molim—ja, Pavao, starac, sada i u zatvoru za Krista Isusa.

10Molim te za Onezima, kojega smatram gotovo sinom jer je postao vjernikom za moje službe ovdje u zatvoru. 11Onezim1:11 “Onezim” znači “koristan”. ti nekoć nije bio od koristi, ali sada je i tebi i meni vrlo koristan. 12Šaljem ti ga natrag, a s njime odlazi i moje srce.

13Htio sam ga zadržati ovdje da mi umjesto tebe služi u okovima koje nosim zbog evanđelja. 14Ali nisam ništa htio učiniti bez tvojega pristanka jer ne želim da to dobročinstvo učiniš prisilno, već dragovoljno. 15Moglo bi se reći da je Onezim od tebe nakratko otišao zato da ga zauvijek dobiješ 16—ne više kao roba, nego kao ljubljenoga brata. Meni je osobito drag, a koliko će tek tebi biti—i kao rob i kao brat u Gospodinu.

17Ako dakle mene smatraš drugom, primi ga kao da mene primaš. 18Ako te je u čemu oštetio ili ti je dužan, upiši to meni na račun. 19Ja ću ti platiti—ja, Pavao, za to osobno jamčim svojim potpisom. A ne moram ni spominjati da mi duguješ sebe!

20Dragi brate, učini mi tu uslugu, Gospodinu za ljubav. Okrijepi moje srce u Kristu! 21Pišem ovo posve uvjeren u tvoju poslušnost. Znam da ćeš učiniti i više nego što te molim.

22Molim te, pripravi mi gostinsku sobu jer se nadam da će Bog uslišiti vaše molitve i dati da vam uskoro dođem.

Posljednji pozdravi

23Pozdravljaju te Epafra, koji je zbog Krista Isusa sa mnom u zatvoru, 24te moji suradnici Marko, Aristarh, Dema i Luka.

25Neka je milost našega gospodina Isusa Krista s vašim duhom.