Philemon 1
1 Paul, [a] prisoner of Christ Jesus and Timothy [his] brother, to Philemon the agape-beloved and our co-worker, 2 and to Apphia [our] sister and Archippus our co-soldier and to the assembly1 in your house, 3 grace to you and peace from God our father and our Lord Jesus Christ.4 I thank my God, always making remembrance [of you] in my prayers, 5 hearing [of your] agape-love and faith which you have towards the Lord Jesus and to all the holy [ones], 6 so that the fellowship [of your] faith become effective in the knowledge of every good [thing which is] in us in Christ. 7 For we had much joy and comfort by your agape-love, because the affections of the holy [ones] are refreshed by you, O brother. 8 Therefore, having much boldness in Christ to be commanding to you [that which is] proper, 9 because of agape-love I rather exhort you, being such as Paul, the aged, and now also [a] prisoner of Christ Jesus, 10 I exhort you concerning my son whom I begot in my bonds, Onesimus, 11 [who was] formerly useless to you but now [is] useful both to you and to me, 12 whom I sent to you, him, that is, my own affection, receive [him], 13 whom I intended to retain with me, in order that in your behalf he serve me in the bonds of the good-news, 14 but without your knowledge I wanted to do nothing, in order that your good not be as according to necessity but according to choice. 15 For perhaps because of this he went away for [an] hour, in order that you receive him forever, 16 no longer as slave but above slave, [as] agape-beloved brother, especially to me, but how much more rather to you both in flesh and in the Lord. 17 If therefore you have me [as] partner, receive him as myself. 18 But if he has done you any injustice or owes [you], charge this to my account. 19 I Paul have written with my own hand, I pay the damages, in order that I not say to you that you indeed owe your own self to me besides.
20 Yes, O brother, may I enjoy you in the Lord, refresh my affection in Christ, 21 having confidence in your obedience I wrote to you, knowing that you will do beyond what I say. 22 At the same time be preparing for me lodging, for I hope that through your prayers I will be graced to you.
23 Epaphes my co-captive in Christ Jesus greets you, 24 and Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, [and] Luke, my co-workers.
25 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ [be]2 with your spirit.
1EKKLESIA (εκκλησια) from "called out". Appears 114 times in the N.T., but only in two places in the Gospels ( Matt.16:18 (twice) and Matt.18:17 (twice)). It's worth noting that when Jesus uses the term EKKLESIA, Christian community as we know it didn't yet exist—there were only the disciples. EKKLESIA is apparently different from 'synagogue' (SYNAGOGE (συναγωγη) which occurs 56 times in the N.T.) EKKLESIA is used in secular Greek literature of a popular assembly 'called to assemble', and also of those 'called' to a cult. EKKLESIA is used frequently in the N.T. outside of the Gospels to refer to Christian communities, but in Acts.7:38 it is used of the people of Israel led through the desert by Moses, and in Acts.19:32 ff. of a secular assembly. Thus, all told, the common translation of EKKLESIA as 'church' doesn't really reflect 1st century usage—it seems to mean more like 'a group of people assembled for some specific purpose'.
2or "[is]"