World English Bible
"whom I desired to keep with me, that on your behalf he might serve me in my chains for the Good News."
— Philemon 1:13, World English Bible
“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: ”
“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.”
“Whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead he might have ministered to me in the bands of the gospel.”
“Though my desire was to keep him with me, to be my servant in the chains of the good news, in your place:”
“Whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel:”
I beg you for my child, whom I have become the father of in my chains, Onesimus,
who once was useless to you, but now is useful to you and to me.
I am sending him back. Therefore receive him, that is, my own heart,
whom I desired to keep with me, that on your behalf he might serve me in my chains for the Good News.
But I was willing to do nothing without your consent, that your goodness would not be as of necessity, but of free will.
For perhaps he was therefore separated from you for a while, that you would have him forever,
no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother, especially to me, but how much rather to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.