5. I thank God because I hear about the love you have for all of God’s holy people and the faith you have in the Lord Jesus.
6. I pray that the faith you share will make you understand every blessing we have in Christ.
7. My brother, you have shown love to God’s people, and your help has greatly encouraged them. What a great joy and encouragement that has been to me.
8. There is something that you should do. And because of the authority I have in Christ, I feel free to command you to do it.
9. But I am not commanding you; I am asking you to do it out of love. I, Paul, am an old man now, and I am a prisoner for Christ Jesus.
10. I am asking you for my son Onesimus. He became my son while I was in prison.
11. In the past he was useless to you. But now he has become useful for both you and me.
12. I am sending him back to you, but it’s as hard as losing part of myself.
13. I would like to keep him here to help me while I am still in prison for telling the Good News. By helping me here, he would be representing you.