MOSHIACH'S LETTER THROUGH THE SHLIACH SHA'UL TO PHILEMON

PEREK ALEPH (CHAPTER ONE)

Sha'ul, a prisoner of Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua and Timotiyos acheinu [(our) brother]. To Philemon ha'ahuv (the beloved) and our fellow po'el (worker)

|2| and to Apphia achoteinu (our sister) and to Archippus our chaver leneshek (comrade-in-arms) and to the kehillah in your bais.

|3| Chen v'Chesed Hashem and Shalom Hashem to you from Elohim Avinu and from Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Adoneinu Yehoshua.

|4| I always offer a bracha to my G-d when I mention you in my tefillos (prayers),

|5| because I hear of your ahavah (agapé) and emunah, which you have for Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Adoneinu Yehoshua and for all the Kadoshim.

|6| [I pray] that your emunah (faith) being shared in Moshiach's kiruv rechokim (bringing near the far away ones) may become effective in the da'as of every mitzvah we may do for Moshiach.

|7| For I had simcha gedolah (much joy) and chizzuk (encouragement) because of your ahavah, for the levavot of the Kadoshim have been refreshed through you, Ach b'Moshiach.

|8| Therefore, though I have much boldness in Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach that I could in fact order you to do your chovah musarit (moral duty) of avodas hakodesh (holy service),

|9| yet I would rather make an appeal on the mekor (basis) of ahavah (agape)--I, [Rav] Sha'ul, the Zaken (Elder) but also a prisoner of Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua.

|10| I appeal to you concerning beni, having "fathered" him (to a new birth) while in bais hasohar (prison)--that is, Onesimus (trans. note: the slave boy Onesimus' name means "Useful")

|11| --the one once "Useless" to you, but, now, both to you and to me--"Useful."

|12| I am sending him who is my very lev (heart) back to you.

|13| I was wanting to detain him with me, in order that he might function as a keli kodesh (minister), ministering to me in your place, as your murshe (proxy), while I'm detained in the imprisonment of the Besuras HaGeulah.

|14| But I wanted to do nothing without your haskamah (consent, approval), in order that the mitzvah you do might not be meshabed (caused to be obligated) or forced, but voluntary.

|15| Eppis (for some reason) perhaps he was separated from you for a while in order that you might have him back for Yamim HaOlam,

|16| no longer as a bond-servant, but, more than a bond-servant, an ach ahuv (a beloved brother [in Moshiach]), especially to me, and how much more to you, both as a man and in Adoneinu.

|17| So if you consider me a chaver in our [common orthodox Jewish emunah], receive him as you would me.

|18| But if in anything he wronged you or owes you, charge this to my cheshbon (account, bill).

|19| I, [Rav] Sha'ul, am writing this with my own hand: I will repay. This is not to meorer (point out) the fact that on your cheshbon you owe me your very neshamah.

|20| Yes, Ach b'Moshiach, I would have some "usefulness" from you in Adoneinu. Refresh my lev in Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach.

|21| Confident of you as one who is shomer mitzvot, I am writing to you, knowing that you will do even above what I say.

|22| Also, this too, prepare a heimishe mekom linah (guest room, lodging place) for me, for I have the tikvah (hope) that through your tefillos I will be restored to you.

|23| Drishat Shalom to you from Epaphras, my co-prisoner in Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua.

DRISHAT SHALOM FROM SOME OF THE INSPIRED AUTHORS OF THE ORTHODOX JEWISH BRIT CHADASHA:

MARKOS, WHO WROTE THE BESURAS HAGEULAH ACCORDING TO MARKOS,

AND DR. LUKAS, WHO WROTE THE BESURAS HAGEULAH ACCORDING TO LUKAS;

AT THE TIME OF THIS WRITING AROUND 60-61 C.E. BOTH MARKOS AND LUKAS HAD WRITTEN THEIR WORKS AND RAV SHA'UL HAD WRITTEN MOST OF HIS WRITINGS; WE KNOW THAT THIS LETTER IS AUTHENTIC, AND SINCE IT MENTIONS MARKOS AND LUKAS, WE HAVE HERE WITNESSES ATTESTING TO THE AUTHENTICITY OF MUCH OF THE BRIT CHADASHA WRITINGS

|24| Drishat Shalom, also, from Markos, Aristarchus, Demas, and Lukas, my fellow po'alim (workers).

|25| The Chen v'Chesed Hashem of Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua be with your neshamah.