[Philemon]

 

             ^1:1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus and Timothy the brother, to Philemon our beloved and fellow worker, ^1:2 and to the beloved Apphia and to Archippus our fellow soldier and to the congregation^* in your house: ^1:3 grace to you^° and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

             ^1:4 I am always giving-thanks to my God, making^* a remembrance of you in my prayers, ^1:5 hearing of your love^* and the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the holy-ones; ^{1:6 *}that the fellowship of your faith might become effective in the full knowledge of every good thing, the good in us, to Christ Jesus. ^1:7 For^* we have much gratitude and comfort in your love^*, because the heart^* of the holy-ones has been given-rest through you, brother.

 

             ^1:8 Hence, I have much boldness in Christ to command you what is proper, ^1:9 but because of love^* I would rather encourage you, being such a one as Paul the elderly-man and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ. ^1:10 I am encouraging you concerning my child, whom I fathered in my bonds, Onesimus, ^1:11 the one not useful to you previously, but who is useful to you now and to me, whom I sent back to you. ^1:12 But you, receive him, this is my heart^*, ^1:13 whom I was planning to hold here for myself, in-order-that he might serve me in the bonds of the good-news on your behalf. ^1:14 But I wished to do^* nothing without your viewpoint; in-order-that as your good deed may not be according-to necessity, but according-to your voluntary deed. ^1:15 For^* perhaps because of this, he was separated from you ^*for a short-time, in-order-that you may fully have him in the everlasting world; ^1:16 no longer as a bondservant, but beyond a bondservant, a beloved brother, especially to me, but how-much rather to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord. ^1:17 Therefore, if you have me like a partner, receive him like me. ^1:18 But if he wronged you in anything or owes you anything, charge this to my account. ^1:19 I, Paul, wrote this with my own hand. I will be compensating you; in-order-that I may not say to you, You are even owing yourself to me. ^1:20 Yes, brother, may I derive benefit from you in the Lord. Give-rest to my heart^* in the Lord.

 

             ^1:21 I wrote to you and have confidence in your obedience, knowing that you will be doing^* even beyond what I am saying. ^1:22 But also at the same-time, prepare me a lodging. For^* I am hoping that through your^° prayers I will be granted to you^°.

 

             ^1:23 Epaphras, my fellow captive in Christ Jesus, greets you; ^1:24 so do my fellow workers Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke.

 

             ^1:25 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ is with your^° spirit. Amen.

 

 

 

{{ Introduction to Hebrews 65-66 AD

 

            The book of Hebrews gives direction to the Jewish Christians; building on their common knowledge of Jewish Law and traditions, the book furthers their comprehension of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ by using the Law as a shadow of the things they had witnessed.

            It is important to realize how difficult it was for "Children of Abraham" to shove aside generations of teachings and the marvelous acts of God recorded in their history. The miraculous confirmations happening among them got their attention, but they must understand all the fulfillment of recorded prophecies.

            The author would have referred to the destruction of Jerusalem had it been written after AD 70; also, references in the present tense are used when speaking of worship in the Temple. (5.3, 10.1) It was probably written after the first generation of Christians. (2.3) “received it in the beginning when spoken through the Lord, which was confirmed to us by the ones who heard it?”

            We lean toward the idea that Paul actually wrote Hebrews and it would have been about 65-66 AD, right before his death. The many speculations on the authorship range from Paul, Luke, Barnabas, Clement of Rome, Apollos, and to Silvanus. This letter is very ‘Paul-like’ Greek, except for chapter 2, which is similar to Luke’s writing and where those who oppose ‘Paul’s authorship’ center their arguments. We can understand at this point in Paul’s life not to have his name inside. However, more importantly, God is the final authority over his written word.

            Hebrews is a book of encouragement, exhortation, but contains strong warnings. Powerful beginning, “God spoke long-ago in many parts and in many manners, in the prophets to the fathers, and spoke to us upon the last of these days in his Son.”

            Hebrews shows the proper relationship between the Old and New Testaments and explains clearly the Old Testament passages and ideas. It also demonstrates the superiority of the Good-news of Jesus. It was written to prevent apostasy from Christianity back into Judaism by showing the Good-news is superior to Judaism (a God-given religion) and by showing perfection and finality of Christ’s priesthood. Hebrews also shows how Jesus was the Christ to the non-believer and as the fulfillment of many Old Testament prophecies. It was a final attempt for the Jews to be saved before their life ends in the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD and the end of the Jewish religion.}}