I appealto you for my childOnesimus,whomI have begottenin my imprisonment,
The kingchargedJoaband Abishaiand Ittai,saying,"[Deal] gentlyfor my sake with the youngmanAbsalom."And allthe peopleheardwhen the kingchargedallthe commandersconcerningAbsalom.
And oneof the crowdansweredHim, "Teacher,I broughtYou my son,possessedwith a spiritwhich makes him mute;
ThereforeI urgeyou, brethren,by the merciesof God,to presentyour bodiesa livingand holysacrifice,acceptableto God,[which is] your spiritualservice of worship.
I do not writethese thingsto shameyou, but to admonishyou as my belovedchildren.
For ifyou were to havecountlesstutorsin Christ,yet[you would] not [have] manyfathers,for in ChristJesusI became your fatherthroughthe gospel.
My children,with whomI amagainin laboruntilChristis formedin you--
and with him Onesimus,[our] faithfuland belovedbrother,whois one of your [number]. They will informyou about the wholesituation here.
To Timothy,[my] true childin [the] faith:Grace,mercy[and] peacefrom Godthe Fatherand ChristJesusour Lord.
To Titus,my true childin a commonfaith:Graceand peacefrom Godthe Fatherand ChristJesusour Savior.
who formerlywas uselessto you, but nowis usefulbothto you and to me.
whomI wishedto keepwith me, sothat on your behalfhe might ministerto me in my imprisonmentfor the gospel;
I havenogreaterjoythan this,to hearof my childrenwalkingin the truth.