⁸Because of the authority Christ has given me, I could be bold. I could order you to do what you should do anyway. ⁹But I make my appeal to you on the basis of our love for each other.

I, Paul, am an old man. I am now also a prisoner because of Christ Jesus. ¹⁰I make an appeal to you for my son Onesimus. He became a son to me while I was being held by chains. ¹¹Before that, he was useless to you. But now he has become useful to you and to me.

¹²I’m sending Onesimus back to you. My very heart goes with him. ¹³I would have liked to keep him with me. Then he could have taken your place in helping me while I’m being held by chains because of the good news. ¹⁴But I didn’t want to do anything unless you agreed. Any favor you do must be done because you want to do it, not because you have to.

¹⁵Onesimus was separated from you for a little while. Maybe that was so you could have him back for good. ¹⁶You could have him back not as a slave. Instead, he would be better than a slave. He would be a dear brother. He is very dear to me. But he is even more dear to you, both as a man and as a brother in the Lord.

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