Philemon

This letter is from Paul, a prisoner because of Jesus Christ, and from Timothy our brother. We are writing to Philemon, our dear friend and fellow worker,

1Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy our brother, unto Philemon our dearly beloved, and fellowlabourer,

Note"A prisoner of Jesus Christ" means a prisoner on account of Jesus Christ, not one held by him. Paul writes from custody, most often placed at Rome, though Ephesus and Caesarea have also been argued. The letter is a private one about a single matter: Philemon is a householder wealthy enough to own slaves, and Onesimus, one of them, has left him and ended up with Paul.

2and to our dear Apphia, and to Archippus, who serves alongside us like a soldier, and to the church that meets in your house.

2And to our beloved Apphia, and Archippus our fellowsoldier, and to the church in thy house:

NoteThe first Christians had no church buildings. A congregation was a group meeting in the house of a member with a room large enough to hold it, which is why the host of such a house was a person of standing among them. Apphia and Archippus are usually taken to belong to Philemon's household. "Fellowsoldier" was an ordinary metaphor for a comrade in a shared campaign and says nothing about military service.

3May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.

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

Note"Grace to you, and peace" is Paul's standing greeting in place of the usual opening of a Greek letter. The customary word was chairein, "greetings"; Paul substitutes the similar sounding charis, "grace", and adds the Jewish greeting shalom, "peace".

4I thank my God every time I mention you in my prayers,

4I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers,

NoteThe King James English keeps a distinction modern English has lost: "thee", "thou" and "thy" are singular, "ye" and "you" plural. From here through verse 21 Paul is speaking to Philemon alone. Verses 3, 22 and 25 switch to the plural and address the whole group that meets in the house, so the household hears the request made to its head.

5because I keep hearing about your love and your faith, your faith in the Lord Jesus, and your love for all of God's people.

5Hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints;

Note"Saints" in the King James does not mean unusually holy individuals or people formally canonized by a church. It translates a word meaning those set apart for God, and Paul uses it for ordinary members of the congregations, here the believers Philemon has helped.

6I pray that the way you share your faith with others will do real good, as you come to recognize every good thing we have because we belong to Christ Jesus.

6That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.

NoteIn 1611 "communication" could mean a sharing or a partnership, not conversation. The underlying Greek word covers fellowship, a joint enterprise, and practical generosity together. This sentence is among the hardest in Paul's letters, and translators genuinely differ over whether it refers to Philemon telling others of his faith, to his partnership with fellow believers, or to the open handedness that partnership produces.

7Your love has brought me great joy and comfort, brother, because you have refreshed the hearts of God's people.

7For we have great joy and consolation in thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother.

NoteGreek writers located deep feeling in the inward organs where modern English puts it in the heart. "The bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee" means Philemon has put fresh heart into fellow believers, and the verb suggests the relief given to someone tired or hard pressed, by hospitality and material help as much as by words.

8So then, even though I could be bold and simply order you, as a fellow believer in Christ, to do what is right,

8Wherefore, though I might be much bold in Christ to enjoin thee that which is convenient,

Note"Convenient" in 1611 meant fitting or proper, what the case calls for, with no sense of handy or easy. "Enjoin" means to command. Paul is naming the authority he is choosing not to use, which sets up the request that follows.

9I would rather ask you as a favor, because of love. I am Paul, an old man now, and also a prisoner because of Jesus Christ.

9Yet for love’s sake I rather beseech thee, being such an one as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ.

Note"Paul the aged" renders a Greek word, presbytes, that normally means an old man, and most take it that way. A nearly identical word means an ambassador or envoy, and some translators and ancient readers preferred that sense, which would give "Paul an ambassador, and now also a prisoner". The letter itself does not settle it. "Beseech" is a mild verb, to request or appeal, deliberately set against "enjoin" in the previous verse.

10My request concerns my son Onesimus. He became my son while I was in chains, because I led him to faith.

10I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds:

Note"Bonds" are chains, that is, Paul's imprisonment. Speaking of begetting or fathering someone was a standard way of describing bringing a person to faith, so Paul is saying he converted Onesimus while in custody and therefore stands to him as a father. That claim matters legally as well as warmly: Paul is placing himself between the slave and his owner.

11In the past he was of no use to you, but now he is truly useful, both to you and to me.

11Which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me:

NoteThe name Onesimus means "useful" or "profitable". It was a common slave name, given for what a slave was expected to be. The verse is a deliberate play on it: the slave named Useful had been useless to his owner, and now, Paul says, lives up to his name for them both.

12I am sending him back to you. Welcome him, he is my very own heart.

12Whom I have sent again: thou therefore receive him, that is, mine own bowels:

Note"Mine own bowels" again uses the inward parts as the seat of affection. To call a person your own bowels is to say he is a piece of yourself, so that how Philemon treats Onesimus is how he treats Paul.

13I would have liked to keep him here with me, so that he could take your place in helping me while I am in chains for the good news.

13Whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel:

NoteOnesimus was Philemon's legal property, so any service he gave Paul would count, by custom and law, as service rendered by his owner. Paul is saying that keeping the slave would have been a way of drawing on Philemon's resources without asking permission, which is precisely what he refuses to do.

14But I did not want to do anything without your agreement, so that the kind thing you do would not be forced, but freely chosen.

14But without thy mind would I do nothing; that thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly.

15Perhaps this is why he was away from you for a short time: so that you could have him back forever,

15For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him for ever;

Note"Departed" translates a passive form, literally "he was separated from you". The wording carefully avoids saying that Onesimus ran away, presenting the episode as something that happened to him rather than something he did. "For a season" means for a short while, and is set against "for ever".

16no longer as a slave, but as more than a slave, as a dear brother. He is very dear to me, and he should be even dearer to you, both as a person and as a fellow believer in the Lord.

16Not 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?

Note"Servant" here translates doulos, a slave. The King James uses "servant" for slave throughout, which hides from a modern reader that Onesimus is owned property and that Philemon has legal rights over him. A master who recovered a runaway could punish him harshly, and returning one was expected. "Both in the flesh, and in the Lord" distinguishes the ordinary human relationship inside the household from the one they now share as believers. Paul asks for Onesimus to be received as a brother without stating what that leaves of the first relationship.

17So if you think of me as your partner, welcome him the same way you would welcome me.

17If thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself.

Note"Partner" translates koinonos, from the same root as "communication" in verse 6. It was used of a partner in a shared business or venture, and that commercial sense carries straight into the bookkeeping language of the next two verses.

18If he has done you any wrong, or if he owes you anything, charge it to me.

18If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account;

Note"Ought" is the old spelling of "aught", meaning anything at all. "Put that on mine account" is accounting language: transfer the debt to my column of the ledger. Runaway slaves commonly took money or goods with them, and Philemon may also have lost the value of the man's labor. Paul's repeated "if" leaves open whether any theft actually occurred.

19I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand: I will pay it back. I will not even mention that you owe me your own self as well.

19I 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.

NoteLetters were normally dictated to a scribe, with the sender adding a closing line in his own handwriting as a mark of authenticity. Here that handwritten line takes the standard form of a promissory note, so Paul is in effect signing a legally recognizable IOU. "Albeit" means although: he mentions the far larger debt precisely by saying he will not mention it.

20Yes, brother, let me get some good from you because we both belong to the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ.

20Yea, brother, let me have joy of thee in the Lord: refresh my bowels in the Lord.

Note"Let me have joy of thee" translates a Greek verb, onaimen, meaning "may I have benefit or use from you". It sounds like the name Onesimus, "useful". Paul is punning on the slave's name one last time: let me get some good out of you as I have out of him.

21I am writing to you because I am sure you will do as I ask. In fact, I know you will do even more than I say.

21Having confidence in thy obedience I wrote unto thee, knowing that thou wilt also do more than I say.

22One more thing: get a guest room ready for me, because I hope that through your prayers I will be given back to you.

22But withal prepare me also a lodging: for I trust that through your prayers I shall be given unto you.

Note"Prepare me also a lodging" means have a guest room ready. Paul expects to be released and to come in person, which quietly tells Philemon that the outcome of this request will be seen. "Given unto you" means granted or restored to you as a favor, here in answer to prayer. "Your" and "you" are plural: the whole congregation is being addressed again.

23Epaphras, who is in prison with me because of Christ Jesus, sends you his greetings,

23There salute thee Epaphras, my fellowprisoner in Christ Jesus;

NoteEpaphras is named in Colossians as the man who brought the message to Colossae, which is one reason this letter is usually placed in that town. "Fellowprisoner" may mean he shared Paul's custody, or that he stayed with him in it as a companion.

24and so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, who work alongside me.

24Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, my fellowlabourers.

Note"Marcus" and "Lucas" are the Latin forms of the names given in modern English as Mark and Luke. Aristarchus and Demas appear alongside the same names in Colossians 4, which is why the two letters are generally thought to have been sent at the same time.

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

25The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

Note"Your spirit" is plural, so the closing blessing falls on the whole household congregation and not on Philemon alone. "Amen" is a Hebrew word meaning roughly "so be it", used to endorse a prayer or blessing; some of the earliest manuscripts end the letter without it.