Poetry

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PAUL, A PRISONER OF JESUS
AND TIMOTHY OUR BROTHER.
TO PHILEMON, DEAR FRIEND OF US
WORKERS WITH ONE ANOTHER.

AND TO APPHIA OUR SISTER
AND TO ARCHIPPUS ALSO.
TRULY HE'S A FELLOW SOLDIER
MARCHING WITH US WHERE WE GO.

2.
TO THE CHURCH THAT MEETS IN YOUR HOME
GRACE TO YOU AND PEACE FROM GOD.
WE SENT GREETING FROM HEAVEN'S DOME
FROM JESUS THE SON OF GOD.

I ALWAYS THANK MY GOD FOR YOU
RECALLING YOU IN MY PRAYERS.
I HEAR ABOUT YOUR FAITH ANEW
AND YOUR LOVE TO MEET ALL CARES.

3.
YOU TRUST JESUS AND LOVE THE SAINTS
I PRAY THAT THIS FAITH YOU'LL SHARE.
THIS YOUR UNDERSTANDING ACQUAINTS
SO OF GOOD THINGS YOU'RE AWARE.

IN CHRIST JESUS WE HAVE SO MUCH
SO ACTIVELY SHARE THIS NEWS.
YOUR LOVE DOES MY LIFE WITH JOY TOUCH
YOUR LOVE, HEARTS OF SAINTS RENEWS.

4.
THEREFORE, ALTHOUGH I COULD BE BOLD
AND IN CHRIST JUST ORDER YOU.
TO DO WHAT YOU OUGHT AND ARE TOLD
THIS WAY INSTEAD I'LL PURSUE.

I'LL APPEAL WITH LOVE THE BASIS
I PAUL NOW AM AN OLD MAN.
I APPEAL FOR ONESIMUS
HE'S MY SON AND I'VE A PLAN.

5.
FOR CHRIST JESUS I'M IN PRISON
I APPEAL ON HIS BEHALF.
WHILE IN CHAINS HE BECAME MY SON
NOW HE'S LIKE PART OF MY STAFF.

FORMERLY HE WAS QUITE USELESS
BOTH TO YOU AND ALSO ME.
BUT HE'S CHANGED AND NOW HE'LL IMPRESS
I WILL SEND HIM BACK, YOU'LL SEE.

6.
NOW I WOULD HAVE LIKED TO KEEP HIM
SO THAT HE COULD TAKE YOUR PLACE.
I NEED HIS HELP, THINGS LOOK QUITE GRIM
FOR THESE CHAINS HAVE SLOWED MY PACE.

BUT I FIRST WANTED YOUR CONSENT
BEFORE I WOULD DO A THING.
SO ANY FAVOR YOU PRESENT
WILL FROM FREEDOM, NOT FORCE, SPRING.

7.
NOW PERHAPS THIS IS THE REASON
SEPARATION DID TAKE PLACE.
HE WAS TAKEN FOR A SEASON
TO COME BACK FOR SURE EMBRACE.

HE WILL BE YOUR SLAVE NO LONGER
HE'LL BE BETTER THAN A SLAVE.
AS YOUR BROTHER HE'LL BE STRONGER
FOR THE LORD HIM TOO DID SAVE.

8.
THIS MAN IS VERY DEAR TO ME
HE IS DEARER YET TO YOU.
FOR THIS MAN AND BROTHER I PLEA
TREAT HIM AS YOU OUGHT TO DO.

IF YOU THINK I AM YOUR PARTNER
WELCOME HIM AS YOU WOULD ME.
TIME TO GIVE HIM A NEW START SIR
JUST CHARGE ALL HE OWES TO ME.



9.
I PAUL WRITE THIS WITH MY OWN HAND
I WILL SURELY PAY IT BACK.
I'LL NOT MENTION I COULD DEMAND
YOU OWE ME ALL, AND ATTACK.

I WISH, BROTHER, SOME BENEFIT
TO COME FROM YOU IN THE LORD,
MY HEART IN CHRIST, YOU'D REFRESH IT
IF YOU'D ONLY HEED MY WORD.

10.
I AM CONFIDENT YOU'LL OBEY
DO MORE EVEN THAN I ASK.
THIS ONE THING MORE I WANT TO SAY
I'LL SOON IN YOUR PRESENCE BASK.

SO PREPARE FOR ME A GUEST ROOM
I'LL BE RESTORED BY YOUR PRAYERS.
FOR GOOD DAYS AHEAD FOR US LOOM
EVEN WITH OUR MANY CARES.

11.
MY FELLOW PRISONER FOR CHRIST
EPAPHRUS SENDS GREETINGS TOO.
MY FELLOW WORKERS SACRIFICED
TO BE GODLY MEN LIKE YOU.

MARK, ARISTARCHUS AND DEMAS
AND LUKE SEND THEIR GREETINGS TOO.
MAY THE GRACE OF OUR LORD JESUS
FILL YOUR SPIRIT, BE WITH YOU.

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