Sermons

13th Sunday after Pentecost (9/7/25)
Philemon 1,7–21
1)Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon, our dear friend and coworker,
7)For I have received great joy and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother.
8)For that reason, even though I have plenty of boldness in Christ to order you to do what is proper,
9)I am appealing to you instead, on the basis of love, just as I, Paul, am an old man and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ. 10)I am appealing to you on behalf of my child Onesimus. I became his father while I was in chains.
11)There was a time when he was useless to you, but now he is useful both to you and to me.
12)I have sent him (who is my very heart) back to you. Welcome him.
13)I wanted to keep him with me, so that he might serve
me in your place while I am in chains for the gospel.
14)But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that your kindness would not be the result of compulsion, but of willingness.
15)Perhaps this is why he was separated from you for a while: so that you would have him back forever,
16)no longer as a slave, but as more than a slave, as a dear brother. He certainly is dear to me, but he is even more
of a dear brother to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.
17)So if you consider me your partner,welcome him as you would welcome me.
18)And if he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge it to me.
19)I, Paul, have written this with my own hand: I will repay it—not to mention that you owe me your very self.
20)Yes, brother, I am asking for a favor from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ.
21)Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask.