Matthew(i)
1 Paul the prysoner of Iesu Christe and brother Timotheus. Vnto Philemon the beloued, & oure healper,
2 and to the beloued Appia, and to Archyppus our felowe souldyer, & to the congregacyon of thy house.
3 Grace be wyth you and peace from God our father, and from the Lorde Iesus Christ.
4 I thanke my God, makynge mention alwayes of the in my prayers,
5 when I heare of thy loue and fayth, which thou hast towarde the Lorde Iesu, and towarde all saynctes:
6 so that the fellowshyppe that thou haste in the fayth, is frutefull thorowe knowledge of all good thynges, whiche are in you by Iesus Christe.
7 And we haue greate ioye, and consolation ouer thy loue: For by the (brother) the sainctes hertes are conforted.
8 Wherfore though I be bolde in Christe to enioyne the, that whiche becommeth the:
9 yet for loues sake I rather beseche the, thoughe I be as I am euen Paule aged, and now in bondes for Iesu Christes sake.
10 I beseche the for my sonne Onesimus, whom I begat in my bondes,
11 whiche in tyme passed was to the vnprofytable both to the, and also to me,
12 whome I haue sente home agayne. Thou therfore receyue hym, that is to say, myne owne bowels
13 whome I woulde fayne haue receyued with me, that in thy stede he myght haue ministred vnto me in the bondes of the Gospell.
14 Neuer thelesse, wythout thy mynde, woulde I do nothynge, that the good whiche spryngeth of the shoulde not be as it were of necessytie, but wyllynglye.
15 Happelye he therfore departed for a season that thou shouldest receyue hym for euer,
16 not nowe as a seruaunte, but aboue a seruaunte I meane a brother beloued, specyally to me: but howe muche more vnto the, bothe in the fleshe and also in the Lorde?
17 Yf thou count me a felowe, receyue hym as my selfe.
18 Yf he haue hurte the, or oweth the oughte that laye to my charge.
19 I Paule haue wryten it wt myne owne hande, I wyll recompence it. So that I do not saye, to the, howe that thou owest vnto me euen thyne owne selfe.
20 Euen so brother, let me enioye the in the Lorde. Comforte my bowelles in the Lord.
21 Trusting in thyne obedyence, I wrote vnto the, knowing, that thou wylt do more then I saye for.
22 Moreouer prepare me lodgynge: for I truste thorowe the healpe of your prayers, I shall be geuen vnto you.
23 There salute the Epaphras my felowe prysoner in christ Iesu.
24 Marcus, Aristarchus Demas, Lucas, my helpers.
25 The grace of our Lorde Iesu Christe be with youre spyrytes Amen.