Phile | ESV | STEP |

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Philemon is about reconciliation and relationships between Christians. Onesimus (which means “useful”) was a slave of a believer named Philemon in Colossae. Apparently Onesimus had stolen from Philemon and fled. At some time while Paul was under arrest, Onesimus met him and became a Christian. Paul apparently wrote this letter at the same time as Colossians and gave it to Onesimus to carry back to Philemon (see Col. 4:9). Paul appealed to Philemon to accept Onesimus back into his household, but as a brother in the Lord rather than a slave. In Paul’s estimation, Onesimus was far more “useful” (v. 11) now that he was a Christian. Paul even promised to pay whatever debt Onesimus might owe Philemon.

‏ Philemon

Greeting

1 Paul, ^aa prisoner for Christ Jesus, and ^bTimothy our brother,

To Philemon our beloved fellow worker 2 and Apphia our sister and ^cArchippus our ^dfellow soldier, and ^ethe church in your house:

3 ^fGrace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Philemon’s Love and Faith

4 ^gI thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers, 5 because I ^hhear of your love and ⁱof the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints, 6 and I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full ^jknowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ. ^{▼▼Or for Christ’s service} 7 For I have derived much joy and ^lcomfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints ^mhave been refreshed through you.

Paul’s Plea for Onesimus

8 Accordingly, ⁿthough I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do ^owhat is required, 9 yet for love’s sake I prefer to appeal to you—I, Paul, an old man and now ^pa prisoner also for Christ Jesus— 10 I appeal to you for ^qmy child, ^rOnesimus, ^{▼▼ Onesimus means useful (see verse 11) or beneficial (see verse 20)} ^twhose father I became in my imprisonment. 11 (Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me.) 12 I am sending him back to you, sending my very heart. 13 I would have been glad to keep him with me, in order that he might serve me ^uon your behalf ^vduring my imprisonment for the gospel, 14 but I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your goodness might not be ^wby compulsion but of your own accord. 15 For this perhaps is why ^xhe was parted from you for a while, that you might have him back forever, 16 ^yno longer as a bondservant ^{▼▼Or slave; twice in this verse (for the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface)} but more than a bondservant, as ^aaa beloved brother—especially to me, but how much more to you, ^abboth in the flesh and in the Lord.

17 So if you consider me ^acyour partner, receive him as you would receive me. 18 If he has wronged you at all, or owes you anything, charge that to my account. 19 ^adI, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it—to say nothing of your owing me even your own self. 20 Yes, brother, I want some benefit from you in the Lord. ^aeRefresh my heart in Christ.

21 ^afConfident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say. 22 At the same time, prepare a guest room for me, for ^agI am hoping that ^ahthrough your prayers ^aiI will be graciously given to you.

Final Greetings

23 ^ajEpaphras, my ^akfellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends greetings to you, 24 and so do ^alMark, ^amAristarchus, ^anDemas, and ^aoLuke, my fellow workers.

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