Philemon - Ferrar Fenton Bible Translation page 1233

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PHILEMON.

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2 to obey in every good work; to speak evil of no man; not to vitupcratc, but to be peaceablc, well behaved; show-

3 ing courtesy to all men. For we ourselves also were once thoughtless, disobedient, unsettled, slaving for lusts and various pleasures, passing our lives in vice and depravity, hateful and

4 hating each other. But when the kindness aud philanthropy of God our

5 Saviour appeared—uot as the result of what we had accomplished in works of righteousness, but as the etfect of His own mercy-—He saved us, by a laver of regeneration and restoration

6 of a spirit of holiness, which He richly poured out upon_ us through our saviour Elesus Christ; so that being made rig teous by that gift we might become by hope inheritors of eternal li e. This matteris true; and I desire you

to constantly insist upon these things, so that the believers in God may stand forth as being anxious for a noble life— that is noble and prontable to men. But prohibit foolish discussions, and 9 genealogies, and quarrels, and legal contentions ; for they are proiitless and vain. Depose a pretentious man after xo advising him once or twice; perceiving tx that such men dodge and sin although se1f~convicted. When I send Artemas to you, or rz Tychicus, make haste to come to me in N icopolis; for I have decided to winter there. Provide at once for Zenas the lawyer, 13 and Apollos, so that nothing may be wanting to them; and, further, let our 14 people learn to advance in noble habits, so that they may not be in6if~ ferent towards those who are in want. All my companions send regards to 15 ou. y Regards to all who love us in faith. May blessing be with you all I (The Epistle to Titus, thejirst appointed

cverseer of Crete, was written from N ico- pou:5 0; Macedonia, about the year a.D. nrtsun or mu:. rua Aposrnn sro

PHILEM ON.

AUL, n prisoner for Christ jesus, and the brother Timothy, to our friend and fellow-worker Phile- mon, and to the dear Apphia, and to our fellow-soldier Archippus, and to the congregation in your house: Blessing and peace to you from our Father God, and Lord ]esus Christ. When I give thanks to my God, I

always make mention of you in my prayers; for I hear of your love, and the faith which you have to the Lord jesus and to all the holy, so that your energetic unity in the Faith may ad- vanceintoarecognitionof every benefit there is for us in Christ. For I had pleasure and consolation from your friendship; and, brother, the feelings of the holy are comforted by you. Although I might have complete

freedom in Christ to demand an un- usual thing of you, I would rather beg it for love—·-I am your old Paul, now also a prisoner for Christ jesus. I beg of you for my son Onesimus , whom Ihave begotten in my captivity he who was once useless to you

, but now useful both to you and me-- whom I have sent back. And now receive him, for he is my darling; whom I would like to have retained with me, so that instead of you, he might serve me in the bondage of the gospel. But without your consent I wished to do nothing; so that your benevolence might not be from necessity, but out of free will. Perhaps, for this reason indeed, he was removed from you for a short time, so that you might have him back for ever; no longer as a slave, but more than aslave, a dear brother especially so to me-—but how much more to you, both in body and in the Lord! If, therefore, you have any sympathy with me, receive him as myself. But if he has wronged or owes you

anything, charge that to me. I, Paul, R 2 t233 IO it to x8