A   Paul the presoner of Iesu Christ, and brother Timotheus.

Vnto Philemon the beloued, and oure helper, and to the beloued Appia, and to Archippus o&highr; felowe soudyer, and to the congregacion in thy house.

Grace be with you, and peace from God oure father and from the LORDE Iesus Christ.

I thanke my God, makynge mencion allwayes of the in my prayers (for so moch as I heare of thy loue and faith which thou hast on the LORDE Iesu, and towarde all sayntes) that oure comen faith maye be frutefull in the, thorow knowlege of all þe; good that ye haue in Christ Iesu. Greate ioye and consolacion haue I in thy loue. For by the (brother) the sayntes are hertely refre&esset;hed.

B   Wherfore though I haue great boldnes in Christ to commaunde the that which becommeth the, yet for loues sake I rather beseke þe;, though I be as I am, eu&ebar; Paul aged, and now a presoner also of Iesu Christ. I beseke the for my sonne ^note Onesimus (whom I haue begotten in my bondes) which in tyme past was to the vnprofitable, but now profitable both to the and me. Whom I haue sent agayne: but receaue thou him (that is) euen myne awne hert. For I wolde haue kepte him styll with me, that in thy steade he might haue mynistred vnto me in þe; bondes of þe; Gospell: Neuertheles without thy mynde wolde I do nothinge, that þe; good which thou doest, shulde not be of compulsion, but wyllingly.

C   Happly he therfore departed for a season, that thou shuldest receaue him for euer: not

now as a seruaunt, but aboue a seruaunt, euen a brother beloued, specially to me, but how moch more vnto þe;, both in þe; flesh and in the LORDE? Yf thou holde me for thy companyon, receaue him then euen as my selfe. But yf he haue hurte the, or oweth the oughte, that laye to my charge. I Paul haue wrytten it with myne awne hande. I wil recompence it: so that I do not saye vnto þe;, how that thou owest vnto me euen thine owne selfe. Euen so brother, let me enioye the in the LORDE: refresh thou my hert in the LORDE.

Trustinge in thine obedi&ebar;ce, I haue wrytten vnto the, for I knowe that thou wilt do more then I saye. Morouer prepare me lodginge, for I hope that thorow youre prayers I shalbe geuen vnto you. There saluteth the, Epaphras my felowe presoner in Christ Iesu, Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, my helpers. The grace of oure LORDE Iesu Christ be with youre sprete, Amen. Sent from Rome by Onesimus a seruaunt.

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