LETTER TO PHILEMON

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1 Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon, our beloved and our co-worker,

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to Apphia our sister, 2 to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church at your house.

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

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4 I give thanks to my God always, remembering you in my prayers,

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as I hear of the love and the faith you have in the Lord Jesus and for all the holy ones, 5

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so that your partnership in the faith may become effective in recognizing every good there is in us 6 that leads to Christ.

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For I have experienced much joy and encouragement 7 from your love, because the hearts of the holy ones have been refreshed by you, brother.

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Therefore, although I have the full right 8 in Christ to order you to do what is proper,

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I rather urge you out of love, being as I am, Paul, an old man, 9 and now also a prisoner for Christ Jesus.

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I urge you on behalf of my child Onesimus, whose father I have become in my imprisonment,

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who was once useless to you but is now useful 10 to (both) you and me.

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I am sending him, that is, my own heart, back to you.

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I should have liked to retain him for myself, so that he might serve 11 me on your behalf in my imprisonment for the gospel,

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but I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that the good you do might not be forced but voluntary.

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Perhaps this is why he was away from 12 you for a while, that you might have him back forever,

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no longer as a slave but more than a slave, a brother, beloved especially to me, but even more so to you, as a man 13 and in the Lord.

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So if you regard me as a partner, welcome him as you would me.

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14 And if he has done you any injustice or owes you anything, charge it to me.

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I, Paul, write this in my own hand: I will pay. May I not tell you that you owe me your very self.

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Yes, brother, may I profit from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ.

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With trust in your compliance I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say.

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At the same time prepare a guest room for me, for I hope to be granted to you through your prayers.

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Epaphras, 15 my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you,

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as well as Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my co-workers.

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The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

 

1 [1] Prisoner: as often elsewhere (cf Romans, 1 Cor, Gal especially), the second word in Greek enunciates the theme and sets the tone of the letter. Here it is the prisoner appealing rather than the apostle commanding.
2 [2] Apphia our sister: sister is here used (like brother) to indicate a fellow Christian. The church at your house: your here is singular. It more likely refers to Philemon than to the last one named, Archippus; Philemon is then the owner of the slave Onesimus (⇒ Philippians 1:10). An alternate view is that the actual master of the slave is Archippus and that the one to whom the letter is addressed, Philemon, is the most prominent Christian there; see the note on ⇒ Col 4:17.
3 [3] Grace . . . and peace: for this greeting, which may be a combination of Greek and Aramaic epistolary formulae, see the note on ⇒ Romans 1:1-7.
4 [4] In my prayers: literally, “at the time of my prayers.”
5 [5] Holy ones: a common term for members of the Christian community (so also ⇒ Philippians 1:7).
6 [6] In us: some good ancient manuscripts have in you (plural). That leads to Christ: leads to translates the Greek preposition eis, indicating direction or purpose.

7 [7] Encouragement: the Greek word paraklesis is cognate with the verb translated “urge” in ⇒ Philippians 1:9, ⇒ 10, and serves as an introduction to Paul’s plea. Hearts: literally, “bowels,” expressing in Semitic fashion the seat of the emotions, one’s “inmost self.” The same Greek word is used in ⇒ Philippians 1:12 and again in ⇒ Philippians 1:20, where it forms a literary inclusion marking off the body of the letter.

8 [8] Full right: often translated “boldness,” the Greek word parresia connotes the full franchise of speech, as the right of a citizen to speak before the body politic, claimed by the Athenians as their privilege (Euripides).

9 [9] Old man: some editors conjecture that Paul here used a similar Greek word meaning “ambassador” (cf ⇒ Eph 6:20). This conjecture heightens the contrast with “prisoner” but is totally without manuscript support.

10 [11] Useless . . . useful: here Paul plays on the name Onesimus, which means “useful” or “beneficial.” The verb translated “profit” in ⇒ Philippians 1:20 is cognate.

11 [13] Serve: the Greek diakoneo could connote a ministry.

12 [15] Was away from: literally, “was separated from,” but the same verb means simply “left” in ⇒ Acts 18:1. It is a euphemism for his running away.

13 [16] As a man: literally, “in the flesh.” With this and the following phrase, Paul describes the natural and spiritual orders.

14 [18-19] Charge it to me . . . I will pay: technical legal and commercial terms in account keeping and acknowledgment of indebtedness.

15 [23-24] Epaphras: a Colossian who founded the church there (⇒ Col 1:7) and perhaps also in Laodicea and Hierapolis (⇒ Col 2:1; ⇒ 4:12-13). Aristarchus: a native of Thessalonica and fellow worker of Paul (⇒ Acts 19:29; ⇒ 20:4; ⇒ 27:2). For Mark, Demas, and Luke, see ⇒ 2 Tim 4:9-13 and the note there.