CHAPTER I.

PAUL, a prisoner of Jesus

Christ, and Timothy our brother, to our beloved, and fellow-labourer, Philemon;

2 and to our beloved sister Apphia, and to Archippus our fellow-soldier; and to the church that is in thy house:

3 grace and peace to you, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ!

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

5 since I hear of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all the saints;

6 so that the communication of thy faith is rendered effective, by the knowledge of every good thing thou hast done amongst us, toward Christ Jesus.

7 For, I had great joy and consolation in thy love, brother, because the feelings of

the saints have been soothed by thee;

8 wherefore, though I have much boldness in Christ, to enjoin thee that which is fitting, I rather beseech thee, for the sake of love :

9 being such as Paul an am- Eph. vl. 20. bassador, though now, indeed, a prisoner, of Jesus Christ, I beseech thee for my child Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds;

10 who formerly was unprofitable to thee, but is now most profitable both to thee and me; whom I have sent back to thee: 11 do thou, therefore, receive him, who is as my own bowels:

12 (whom I wished to retain with me, that he might minister to me, in thy stead, in the bonds of the gospel;

13 but, without thy approval I would do nothing; that thy kindness should not be as of necessity, but as of good will: 14 for, did he quit thee for a

moment, that thou shouldest reject him for ever?)

15 Receive him, therefore, no longer as a servant, but above

a servant; as a brother beloved, especially by me, but how much more, then, by thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord?

16 If, therefore, thou account me thy friend, receive him as myself:

17 if he hath wronged thee in any thing, or is indebted to thee, place it to my account;

18 I, Paul, have written it with my own hand, that I will repay thee: not to tell thee, that thou owest me, over and above, even thy own self.

19 Yea, brother, let me have joy of thee in the Lord: indulge my feelings in Christ.

20 I have written to thee, confiding in thy compliance; knowing, that thou wilt do even more than I say.

21 And at the same time, also, prepare a lodging for me; for I trust that I shall be granted to you, through

your prayers.

22 Epaphroditus, my fellowprisoner in Christ Jesus, Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow-labourers, salute thee. 23 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen!

WHEREFORE, it behoves

us to give the more earnest attention to the things which we have heard, lest we should ever depart from them: 2 for, if the word spoken by angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just retribution;

3 how shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which, having been first spoken by the Lord, hath been confirmed to us by those who heard him;

4 God bearing witness with them, by signs, and wonders, and various miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to his will?

5 For, he hath not subjected

7

6-11.

"Thou madest him a little Philipp. ii. "lower than the angels; thou "hast crowned him with glory "and honour: thou hast put "all things in subjection under "his feet :"

8 for, in subjecting to him all things, he left nothing unsubjected to him.

9 But, as yet we see not all things subjected to him; we only see Jesus, who was made a little lower than angels by the suffering of death, (that he might taste of death, apart Matt. xxvii. from God, for every one,) Mark, xvii.32. crowned with glory and ho

46.

Ps. xxii. 1.

name to my brethren; in the "midst of the congregation I Ps. xxii. 22. "will sing praise to thee:"

Philipp. ii. 7.

15 and might rescue those, who, through fear of death, have, through all their life, been subject to bondage.

16 For, indeed, he took not on him the form of angels; but he took on him that of the seed of Abraham:

17 from whence we learn, Rom. xv. 8. that it behoved him to be made, in all things, like his brethren; that he might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people:

18 for, inasmuch as he himself was tried, and suffered, he is able to succour those that are tried.

3 for, he is accounted worthy of so much more glory than Moses, as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house itself: 4 for, every house is builded by some one, but he who built John, i. 3. all things is God.

5 And Moses, indeed, was faithful in all His house, as His servant, to testify of the things which were to be afterwards spoken;

6 but, Christ was such as a son over His own house; whose house we are, if we hold fast the confidence and rejoicing of our hope.