Greeting
1 Paul, a a prisoner b of Christ Jesus, c and Timothy d our brother:
To Philemon our dear friend and coworker, 2 to Apphia our sister, to Archippus e our fellow soldier, f and to the church that meets in your home. g
3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Philemon’s Love and Faith
4 I always thank my God when I mention you in my prayers, 5 because I hear of your love h for all the saints and the faith that you have in the Lord Jesus. 6 I pray that your participation in the faith may become effective i through knowing every good thing j that is in us for the glory of Christ. 7 For I have great joy and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed k through you, brother.
An Appeal for Onesimus
8 For this reason, although I have great boldness in Christ to command you to do what is right, 9 I appeal to you, instead, on the basis of love. I, Paul, as an elderly man and now also as a prisoner l of Christ Jesus, 10 appeal to you for my son, m Onesimus. ,n I became his father o while I was in chains. 11 Once he was useless to you, but now he is useful both to you and to me. 12 I am sending him back to you—I am sending my very own heart. , 13 I wanted to keep him with me, so that in my imprisonment for the gospel he might serve me in your place. 14 But I didn’t want to do anything without your consent, so that your good deed might not be out of obligation, but of your own free will. 15 For perhaps this is why he was separated from you for a brief time, so that you might get him back permanently, 16 no longer as a slave, but more than a slave—as a dearly loved brother. He is especially so to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh p and in the Lord. q
17 So if you consider me a partner, welcome r him as you would me. 18 And if he has wronged you in any way, or owes you anything, charge that to my account. s 19 I, Paul, write this with my own hand: t I will repay it—not to mention to you that you owe me even your very self. 20 Yes, brother, may I benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ. 21 Since I am confident of your obedience, I am writing to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say. 22 Meanwhile, also prepare a guest room for me, since I hope that through your prayers I will be restored to you.
Final Greetings
23 Epaphras, u my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you greetings, and so do 24 Mark, v Aristarchus, w Demas, and Luke, x my coworkers.
25 The grace of the Lord ,y Jesus Christ be with your spirit. z
4–5. At this point, Paul is personally addressing Philemon, since the “you, your” are singular throughout verses 4–22. Paul asserts that he constantly thanks God for Philemon’s love and faith. For Paul, both ideas are intertwined—faith toward Christ demands love unto others.
6. Some interpreters have understood the phrase “your participation [Gk koinōnia] in the faith” as a reference to Philemon’s evangelistic work; however, the phrase more likely refers to Philemon’s sharing of the same faith with other Christ followers. Paul explains that this shared experience of faith in Christ will lead to the knowledge of every “good thing” that is ours and to the glory of Christ, who is the origin and goal of the Christian life.
7. By esteeming Philemon’s love for the saints (v. 5) and his refreshing of their hearts (cf. v. 20), Paul intimates that Philemon should continue to show his love for the saints by extending it toward another saint, Onesimus.
8–11. Although Paul is bold enough in Christ to command Philemon to do what he ought (8), he appeals on the basis of love (9a). Paul, moreover, refers to himself as an “elderly man” and as a “prisoner of Christ Jesus” (9b), two descriptors that would elicit compassion and respect from Philemon and the members of the church. Paul then explains that his request to Philemon is for Paul’s “son,” Onesimus, whom Paul “father[ed]” (i.e., converted to Christ) while in prison (10). In verse 11 Paul makes a play on the name Onesimus (which literally means “useful”), asserting that even though Onesimus was once “useless,” he is now “useful” to both Paul and Philemon.
12–16. Paul expresses that it is not easy for him to send Onesimus back to Philemon because Onesimus has become so dear to him—being Paul’s “very own heart” (12). Paul further explains that although he wants to keep Onesimus with him, he would not do so without Philemon’s initiation or consent (13–14). Paul then states that Philemon will have Onesimus back “no longer as a slave, but more than a slave—as a dearly loved brother” (15–16).
17–19. Having conveyed the emotional basis of his appeal (vv. 8–16), Paul now, in the climax of the letter, articulates his specific request to Philemon. After imploring Philemon to receive and embrace Onesimus based on their new kin relationship in Christ, Paul identifies with Onesimus by taking on the status of an indebted slave and asking Philemon to accept Onesimus as though he were accepting Paul—that is, as a “partner” (17). Paul, in fact, strengthens his appeal by enjoining Philemon to reckon any of Onesimus’s debts to Paul (18). In extending an IOU (written with “my [Paul’s] own hand”) to Philemon, Paul asserts that he will not even mention the incredible debt and obligation that Philemon owes him (19), which is probably a reference to Philemon’s conversion under Paul’s ministry.
20–21. Paul requests to have some “benefit” from Philemon (20a), similar to the request for a favor (“good deed”) in verse 14. The benefit Paul is asking for is probably what was mentioned in verses 10–14: to accept Onesimus back, to clear any of his debts, possibly to grant him freedom, and to return him to Paul for further service in the work of the gospel (vv. 11, 13).
22. Before concluding the letter, Paul includes a request for a guest room to be prepared for him. Paul apparently is confident that he will soon be released from imprisonment and be able to visit Philemon. Also, in the last clause of this verse, the “you, your” are plural, which means that Paul is again addressing the wider church community.
4. CLOSING GREETINGS (23–25)