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Philemon 1

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Salutation and Recipients 1–3

1
Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy our brother, unto Philemon our dearly beloved, and fellowlabourer, ​
2
And to our beloved Apphia, and Archippus our fellowsoldier, and to the church in thy house: ​
3
Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul's Love for Philemon 4–7

4
I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers, ​
5
Hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints;
6
That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus. ​
7
For we have great joy and consolation in thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother. ​

The Appeal for Onesimus 8–20

8
Wherefore, though I might be much bold in Christ to enjoin thee that which is convenient, ​
9
Yet for love's sake I rather beseech thee, being such an one as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ. ​
10
I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds: ​
11
Which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me: ​
12
Whom I have sent again: thou therefore receive him, that is, mine own bowels: ​
13
Whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel: ​
14
But without thy mind would I do nothing; that thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly. ​
15
For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him for ever; ​
16
Not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord? ​
17
If thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself. ​
18
If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account; ​
19
I Paul have written it with mine own hand, I will repay it: albeit I do not say to thee how thou owest unto me even thine own self besides. ​
20
Yea, brother, let me have joy of thee in the Lord: refresh my bowels in the Lord. ​

Concluding Assurance and Greetings 21–25

21
Having confidence in thy obedience I wrote unto thee, knowing that thou wilt also do more than I say. ​
22
But withal prepare me also a lodging: for I trust that through your prayers I shall be given unto you. ​
23
There salute thee Epaphras, my fellowprisoner in Christ Jesus; ​
24
Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, my fellowlabourers. ​
25
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

Bible text: King James Version (1769 Blayney text) · Public domain

Study Notes for Philemon 1

Verse 1

a prisoner of Jesus Christ — Desmios, one in bonds, as in Eph 3:1 and 2 Tim 1:8. Paul takes no title of apostle here, as he does in Col 1:1. 'Fellowlabourer' is sunergos, a title he gives again to Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas and Lucas in v.24. Timothy 'our brother' joins in the greeting.

Verse 2

Archippus our fellowsoldier — Sustratiotes occurs only here and of Epaphroditus in Phil 2:25. Colossians directs a word to Archippus: 'Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it' (Col 4:17). 'The church in thy house' meets in a home, as with Priscilla and Aquila (1 Cor 16:19) and Nymphas (Col 4:15).

Verse 4

making mention of thee — Mneia, a remembering before God, in Paul's prayers for the Romans (Rom 1:9), Ephesians (Eph 1:16), Thessalonians (1 Thess 1:2) and Timothy (2 Tim 1:3). 'I thank' is eucharisteo, and 'always' belongs with the prayers: Philemon is held in remembrance continually.

Verse 6

the communication of thy faith — Koinonia, sharing or fellowship, the word rendered 'to communicate' in Heb 13:16: 'to do good and to communicate forget not'. The root returns in v.17 in 'partner' (koinonos). 'Effectual' is energes, at work, and 'every good thing' (agathos) is the 'benefit' of v.14.

Verse 7

the bowels of the saints are refreshed — Splagchna, the inward parts as the seat of affection, as in 'bowels of mercies' (Col 3:12); Paul uses it again of Onesimus in v.12 and of himself in v.20. 'Refreshed' is anapauo, to give rest, the verb of Christ's 'I will give you rest' (Matt 11:28).

Verse 8

to enjoin thee that which is convenient — Epitasso, to command; 'bold' is parrhesia, freedom of speech. 'Convenient' is aneko, fitting, found also in Eph 5:4 and Col 3:18 ('as it is fit in the Lord'). Paul states the right to command so as to set it aside in v.9: 'for love's sake I rather beseech thee'.

Verse 9

for love's sake I rather beseech thee — The ground is agape, love. Paul names two things that give weight to the request, his age (presbutes, 'the aged') and his bonds, as he does elsewhere: 'I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you' (Eph 4:1). 'Beseech' is the verb repeated in v.10.

Verse 10

whom I have begotten in my bonds — Gennao, to beget, Paul's word for those he brought to Christ: 'in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel' (1 Cor 4:15). Onesimus appears in Col 4:9 as 'a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you', a man of Colossae, sent there with Tychicus (Col 4:7–9).

Verse 11

unprofitable… profitable — The name Onesimus (Onesimos) means 'profitable'. 'Unprofitable' is achrestos, found only here; 'profitable' is euchrestos, used also of Mark, 'profitable to me for the ministry' (2 Tim 4:11), and of a vessel 'meet for the master's use' (2 Tim 2:21).

Verse 12

mine own bowels — 'Sent again' is anapempo, to send back. 'Receive' is proslambano, to take to oneself, the verb of 'receive ye one another, as Christ also received us' (Rom 15:7) and the one repeated in v.17. 'Bowels' (splagchna) is the word of vv.7 and 20.

Verse 13

in thy stead… in the bonds of the gospel — 'Retained' is katecho, to hold fast; 'ministered' is diakoneo, to serve. Paul says Onesimus could have served him on Philemon's behalf, and he names his chain as the gospel's: 'in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel' (Phil 1:7); 'Remember my bonds' (Col 4:18).

Verse 14

without thy mind — Gnome, judgment or consent. The 'benefit' is agathos, the 'good thing' of v.6; it must not be 'of necessity' (anagke), the contrast of 2 Cor 9:7, 'not grudgingly, or of necessity', but 'willingly' (hekousion, of one's own accord). Paul does nothing without Philemon's agreement.

Verse 15

he therefore departed for a season — 'Departed' (chorizo) is passive in the Greek: he 'was parted'. 'For a season' is pros horan, literally 'for an hour', set against 'for ever' (aionios). 'Perhaps' (tacha) leaves room for God's hand, as in Joseph's words: 'God did send me before you to preserve life' (Gen 45:5).

Verse 16

above a servant, a brother beloved — 'Servant' is doulos, a bondservant. Onesimus is a brother 'both in the flesh, and in the Lord': a member of Philemon's household and of Christ's. The same pairing is in 1 Cor 7:22, 'he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's freeman'.

Verse 17

a partner — Koinonos, a sharer, from the root of koinonia in v.6. 'Receive' is proslambano, as in v.12. 'As myself' recalls Christ's own principle, 'He that receiveth you receiveth me' (Matt 10:40): Philemon is asked to take Onesimus as he would take Paul.

Verse 18

put that on mine account — Ellogeo, to charge to an account; in the New Testament only here and in Rom 5:13, 'sin is not imputed when there is no law'. 'Wronged' is adikeo and 'oweth' is opheilo. The verse is conditional, 'If he hath wronged thee': it states no particular debt.

Verse 19

I will repay it — Apotino, to pay back, found only here; 'owest… besides' is prosopheilo, also only here. Paul writes 'with mine own hand', as he does in the closing greeting of Colossians (Col 4:18) and Galatians (Gal 6:11). He adds, without pressing it, that Philemon owes him 'thine own self besides'.

Verse 20

let me have joy of thee — Oninemi, to benefit, found only here and the root of the name Onesimus: the play of v.11 is taken up again. 'Refresh my bowels in the Lord' repeats vv.7 and 12 (anapauo, splagchna), now as Paul's own request, 'in the Lord'.

Verse 21

Having confidence in thy obedience — Peitho, to be persuaded, and hupakoe, obedience. Paul had declined to 'enjoin' (v.8) and here speaks of obedience all the same; the confidence is the kind he states elsewhere, 'I rejoice therefore that I have confidence in you in all things' (2 Cor 7:16). 'More than I say' names no particular act.

Verse 22

prepare me also a lodging — Xenia, a guest-room, found only here and in Acts 28:23, where Paul in Rome receives many 'into his lodging'. 'Your prayers' and 'unto you' are plural, the whole house church of v.2. 'Given' is charizomai, to grant as a favour, the verb of 'freely give' in Rom 8:32.

Verse 23

Epaphras, my fellowprisoner — Sunaichmalotos, fellow-captive; the word is used also of Andronicus and Junia (Rom 16:7) and of Aristarchus (Col 4:10). Epaphras is the Colossians' own man, 'who is one of you', 'always labouring fervently for you in prayers' (Col 4:12), and their teacher (Col 1:7).

Verse 24

Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas — These are Paul's 'fellowlabourers' (sunergos), the title he gave Philemon in v.1. Luke is 'the beloved physician' (Col 4:14); Mark is 'profitable to me for the ministry' (2 Tim 4:11), the word of v.11; of Demas, named beside Luke here and in Col 4:14, 2 Tim 4:10 says he 'hath forsaken me'.