Bible in Basic English
"Though my desire was to keep him with me, to be my servant in the chains of the good news, in your place:"
— Philemon 1:13, Bible in Basic English
“Whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel:”
“whom I would fain have kept with me, that in thy behalf he might minister unto me in the bonds of the gospel: ”
“whom I desired to keep with me, that on your behalf he might serve me in my chains for the Good News.”
“I wanted to keep him with me so that he could serve me in your place during my imprisonment for the sake of the gospel.”
My request is for my child Onesimus, the child of my chains,
Who in the past was of no profit to you, but now is of profit to you and to me:
Whom I have sent back to you, him who is my very heart:
Though my desire was to keep him with me, to be my servant in the chains of the good news, in your place:
But without your approval I would do nothing; so that your good works might not be forced, but done freely from your heart.
For it is possible that for this reason he was parted from you for a time, so that you might have him for ever;
No longer as a servant, but more than a servant, a brother, very dear to me specially, but much more to you, in the flesh as well as in the Lord.