Philemon 1

Philemon 1:1-3

¹Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon, our beloved fellow worker, ²to the beloved Apphia, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the assembly in your house: ³Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul the prisoner and Timothy greet Philemon, Apphia, Archippus, and the house church with grace and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Philemon 1:4-7

⁴I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers, ⁵hearing of your love and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints, ⁶that the fellowship of your faith may become effective in the knowledge of every good thing which is in us in Christ Jesus. ⁷For we have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.

Paul thanks God for Philemon’s love and faith toward Jesus and the saints, praying that the fellowship of his faith become effective, and rejoicing that Philemon has refreshed the hearts of the saints.

Philemon 1:8-14

⁸Therefore though I have all boldness in Christ to command you that which is appropriate, ⁹yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you, being such a one as Paul, the aged, but also a prisoner of Jesus Christ. ¹⁰I appeal to you for my child Onesimus, whom I have become the father of in my chains, ¹¹who once was useless to you, but now is useful to you and to me. ¹²I am sending him back. Therefore receive him, that is, my own heart, ¹³whom I desired to keep with me, that on your behalf he might serve me in my chains for the Good News. ¹⁴But I was willing to do nothing without your consent, that your goodness would not be as of necessity, but of free will.

Though Paul could command, he appeals for love’s sake for Onesimus—his child begotten in chains—once useless, now useful—sending him back as Paul’s own heart and preferring Philemon’s voluntary goodness over compulsion.

Philemon 1:15-16

¹⁵For perhaps he was therefore separated from you for a while that you would have him forever, ¹⁶no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother—especially to me, but how much rather to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.

Paul suggests Onesimus was separated for a while so Philemon might have him forever—no longer as a slave only but as a beloved brother in the flesh and in the Lord.

Philemon 1:17-20

¹⁷If then you count me a partner, receive him as you would receive me. ¹⁸But if he has wronged you at all or owes you anything, put that to my account. ¹⁹I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it (not to mention to you that you owe to me even your own self besides). ²⁰Yes, brother, let me have joy from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in the Lord.

If Philemon counts Paul a partner, he must receive Onesimus as he would Paul; any debt is charged to Paul’s account—written in his own hand—while Philemon is reminded he owes Paul his own self; Paul asks for joy and refreshed heart in the Lord.

Philemon 1:21

²¹Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even beyond what I say.

Paul writes with confidence in Philemon’s obedience, knowing he will do even more than asked.

Philemon 1:22

²²Also, prepare a guest room for me, for I hope that through your prayers I will be restored to you.

Paul asks Philemon to prepare a guest room, hoping to be restored through the church’s prayers.

Philemon 1:23-24

²³Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you, ²⁴as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.

Epaphras, Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke send greetings as fellow prisoners and fellow workers.

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