Philemon 1

¹Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon our beloved fellow worker, ²and Apphia our sister, and Archippus our fellow soldier, and the assembly in your house: ³Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

⁴I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, ⁵because I hear of your love and the faith you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the holy ones. ⁶I pray that your partnership in the faith may become effective through the knowledge of every good thing among us for Christ. ⁷For I have had much joy and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the holy ones have been refreshed through you, brother.

⁸So, although I have great boldness in Christ to command you to do what is fitting, ⁹I appeal instead on the basis of love—I, Paul, an old man and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus. ¹⁰I appeal to you for my child, whom I fathered while in bonds, Onesimus, ¹¹who was once useless to you but is now useful to you and to me.

¹²I am sending him back to you—him, that is, my own heart. ¹³I wanted to keep him with me so that he might serve me on your behalf in my bonds for the good news. ¹⁴But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that your good deed would not be something forced but voluntary.

¹⁵For perhaps this is why he was separated from you for a little while: so that you might have him back forever, ¹⁶no longer as a slave but more than a slave, a beloved brother—especially dear to me, and how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord!

¹⁷So if you consider me a partner, welcome him as you would me. ¹⁸If he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge it to me. ¹⁹I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it—not to mention that you owe me your very self as well.

²⁰Yes, brother, may I have this benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ.

²¹I write to you with confidence in your obedience, knowing that you will do even more than I say. ²²At the same time, prepare a place for me to stay, for I hope that through your prayers I will be given back to you.

²³Epaphras, my fellow captive in Christ Jesus, greets you, ²⁴as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.

²⁵May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

Translation notes 10

1:1–3, 22, 25 — A personal and shared letter. Most of the appeal addresses Philemon individually. The greeting, the prayers and final “you” in verse 22, and the closing blessing address the wider group. “Assembly” means the community meeting in the house. Apphia is called a sister and Archippus a fellow soldier; the letter does not identify them as Philemon's wife and son. “Prisoner of Christ Jesus” describes Paul's imprisonment in connection with Christ.

1:5 — Love and faith. The Greek places love and faith together before the Lord Jesus and all the holy ones. The likely sense connects faith especially with Jesus and love with the believers, but the compact wording is retained. “Holy ones” refers to the community of believers, including women and men.

1:6 — Partnership in the faith. The expression can mean the partnership arising from Philemon's faith or his participation in a shared faith. The practical fellowship of believers fits the appeal better than restricting it to telling others about the faith. “For Christ” gives the partnership a Christ-directed purpose; “in Christ” is another interpretation. Some witnesses read “among you” instead of “among us.” The entire sentence is difficult, and the wording remains provisional.

1:7, 12, 20 — Heart and refreshment. The same Greek word refers literally to inward organs and conventionally to deep affection. “Heart” keeps an embodied English expression and the repetition: Philemon has refreshed others' hearts; Onesimus is Paul's own heart; Philemon is now asked to refresh Paul's heart.

1:9 — An old man. This follows the ordinary sense of the Greek word. “An ambassador” is a proposed alternative involving a different form of the word; it is not the reading printed in the Greek base used here.

1:10–11, 20 — Onesimus. Paul describes becoming Onesimus's father through his coming to faith while Paul was imprisoned. Onesimus's name means “useful” or “beneficial,” giving point to the useless/useful contrast; “benefit” in verse 20 probably continues the wordplay. The letter does not explain precisely how Onesimus had been useless to Philemon.

1:12–14 — Sending him back. Paul returns Onesimus while expressing his wish to keep him as a representative of Philemon's help. “Serve” in verse 13 describes this help; it is a different word from “slave” in verse 16. Paul insists on consent, although his appeal also places considerable personal pressure on Philemon.

1:15–16 — More than a slave. “Perhaps” presents a possible purpose for the separation without naming its cause. The letter does not explicitly say that Onesimus ran away or stole money. “Slave” identifies actual enslavement. Paul demands a changed relationship as beloved brothers, extending to life “in the flesh” as well as “in the Lord.” Whether he also intends formal emancipation is debated; neither an express command to free Onesimus nor an assurance that slavery continues has been added. “Forever” contrasts with the short separation.

1:18–19 — Debt and repayment. Paul offers to assume any wrong or debt, then reminds Philemon of his own deeper obligation to Paul. The conditional wording does not specify an offense or establish a theft. The letter does not spell out how Philemon came to owe Paul his very self.

1:21–22 — More than requested. Paul does not define the additional action he expects. It could include further help or Onesimus's freedom; neither is made explicit. Preparing lodging expresses Paul's hope of returning, not a prediction of certain release.