³For we ourselves also were once foolish, disobedient, going astray, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. ⁴But when the kindness and the love toward man of our Savior God appeared, ⁵not by works of righteousness which we did, but according to his mercy he saved us, through the bathing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Spirit; ⁶which he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior; ⁷that, having been justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

⁸Faithful is the saying; and concerning these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they who have believed God may be careful to take the lead in good works. These things are good and profitable to men. ⁹But avoid foolish questionings, and genealogies, and strifes, and contentions about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.

¹⁰A man that causes divisions, after a first and second admonition, avoid^[10]; ¹¹knowing that he that is such is perverted, and sins, being self-condemned.

¹²When I shall send Artemas to thee, or Tychicus, endeavor to come to me to Nicopolis; for I have determined there to winter.

¹³Zenas the lawyer, and Apollos, send forward on their journey zealously, that nothing may be wanting to them. ¹⁴And let ours also learn to take the lead in good works for necessary wants, that they may not be unfruitful.

¹⁵All that are with me salute thee. Salute those who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all.

[THE LETTER OF PAUL TO PHILEMON.]

PAUL, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy the brother, to Philemon the beloved and our fellow-laborer, ²and to Apphia the beloved^[2], and Archippus our fellow-soldier, and to the church in thy house: ³Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

⁴I thank my God always, making mention of thee in my prayers, ⁵hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and unto all the saints; ⁶that the fellowship of thy faith^[6] may become effectual in the knowledge of every good thing which is in us, unto Christ Jesus. ⁷For I had^[7] much joy and consolation in thy love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed by thee, brother. ⁸Wherefore, though having much boldness in Christ to enjoin upon thee that which is becoming, ⁹yet for love's sake I beseech rather; being such a one, as Paul an old man, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ, ¹⁰I beseech thee for my child, whom I begot in my bonds, Onesimus; ¹¹who in time past was unprofitable to thee, but is now profitable to thee and to me; ¹²whom I sent back to thee. But do thou receive him, that is, my own flesh; ¹³whom I would have retained with myself, that in thy stead he might minister to me in the bonds of the gospel. ¹⁴But without thy consent I desired to do nothing; that thy benefit may not be as it were of necessity, but willingly. ¹⁵For perhaps he departed for a season to this end, that thou shouldest receive him as thine forever; ¹⁶no longer as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much more to thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord!