to Timothy, my dear child. Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord!p>

<t /><p class="bodytext">From Paul,<n id="1" /> a prisoner of Christ Jesus,<n id="2" /> and Timothy our<n id="3" /> brother, to Philemon, our dear friend<n id="4" /> and colaborer,

no longer as a slave,<n id="1" /> but more than a slave, as a dear brother. He is especially so to me, and even more so to you now, both humanly speaking<n id="2" /> and in the Lord.

But in your case, dear friends, even though we speak like this, we are convinced of better things relating to salvation.

<p class="bodytext">Dear friends, I urge you as foreigners and exiles to keep away from fleshly desires that do battle against the soul,

<p class="bodytext">Dear friends, do not be astonished<n id="1" /> that a trial by fire is occurring among you,<n id="2" /> as though something strange were happening to you.

<t /><p class="bodytext">Dear friends, this is already the second letter I have written<n id="1" /> you, in which<n id="2" /> I am trying to stir up<n id="3" /> your pure mind by way of reminder:

Dear friend, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, just as it is well with your soul.<n id="1" />

<t /><p class="bodytext">But you, dear friends &#8211; recall the predictions<n id="1" /> foretold by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ.<n id="2" />

But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith, by praying in the Holy Spirit,<n id="1" />

And<n id="1" /> a voice from heaven said,<n id="2" /> &#8220;This is my one dear Son;<n id="3" /> in him<n id="4" /> I take great delight.&#8221;<n id="5" />p>

Then<n id="1" /> a cloud<n id="2" /> overshadowed them,<n id="3" /> and a voice came from the cloud, &#8220;This is my one dear Son.<n id="4" /> Listen to him!&#8221;<n id="5" />

He had one left, his one dear son.<n id="1" /> Finally he sent him to them, saying, &#8216;They will respect my son.&#8217;

Then<n id="1" /> the owner of the vineyard said, &#8216;What should I do? I will send my one dear son;<n id="2" /> perhaps they will respect him.&#8217;

To all those loved by God in Rome,<n id="1" /> called to be saints:<n id="2" /> Grace and peace to you<n id="3" /> from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!p>

Do not avenge yourselves, dear friends, but give place to God&#8217;s wrath,<n id="1" /> for it is written, &#8220;<i><b>Vengeance is mineb>, <b>I will repayb>i>,&#8221;<n id="2" /> says the Lord.

Also greet the church in their house. Greet my dear friend Epenetus,<n id="1" /> who was the first convert<n id="2" /> to Christ in the province of Asia.<n id="3" />

Greet Tryphena<n id="1" /> and Tryphosa, laborers in the Lord. Greet my dear friend<n id="2" /> Persis, who has worked hard in the Lord.

<t /><p class="bodytext">Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves<n id="1" /> from everything that could defile the body<n id="2" /> and the spirit, and thus accomplish<n id="3" /> holiness out of reverence for God.<n id="4" />

Have you been thinking all this time<n id="1" /> that we have been defending ourselves to you? We are speaking in Christ before God, and everything we do, dear friends, is to build you up.<n id="2" />