1. Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and brother Timothy, to our beloved coworker, Philemon. 2. and to sister Apphia, and to Archippus our fellow‑soldier, as well as to the church that meets in your house. 3. Graceχάρις · chárisGrace or favor; God’s gracious gift and disposition, framing Paul’s opening and closing blessings. to you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
4. I always give thanks to my God, remembering to mention you in my prayers, 5. because I keep hearing about your loveἀγάπη · agápēLove, expressed in committed care and action. Distinct from splánchna, which emphasizes deep inward affection. and your faith toward the Lord Jesus, and for all our fellow believers, 6. that your fellowshipκοινωνία · koinōníaFellowship, sharing, or participation; the active partnership of believers in their common faith. and your faith may become effective in the complete understanding of everything good that is ours in Christ. 7. I was really joyful and encouraged because of your loveἀγάπη · agápēLove, expressed in committed care and action. Distinct from splánchna, which emphasizes deep inward affection., since, through you, brother, the compassionsσπλάγχνα · splánchnaLiterally “inward parts”; figuratively the seat of deep affection, compassion, or heartfelt concern. of our fellow believers were refreshedἀναπαύω · anapaúōTo refresh or give rest; Paul recalls Philemon’s past encouragement and asks him to refresh Paul’s heart..
8. For this reason, although I have great boldness in Christ to orderἐπιτάσσω · epitássōTo command or direct. Paul contrasts his ability to command with his choice to appeal in love. Parsing: present active infinitive (ἐπιτάσσειν). Paul describes his authority to command, which he contrasts with an appeal in love. you to do what is proper, 9. I appealπαρακαλέω · parakaléōTo appeal, urge, or exhort; Paul prefers a personal appeal over an authoritative order. Parsing: present active indicative, first-person singular (παρακαλῶ). Paul states that he is appealing rather than commanding. instead, on the basis of loveἀγάπη · agápēLove, expressed in committed care and action. Distinct from splánchna, which emphasizes deep inward affection., since I, Paul, am an old man, and now I am also a prisoner for Christ Jesus, 10. I appealπαρακαλέω · parakaléōTo appeal, urge, or exhort; Paul prefers a personal appeal over an authoritative order. Parsing: present active indicative, first-person singular (παρακαλῶ). Paul states that he is appealing rather than commanding. to you concerning this child of mine, OnesimusὈνήσιμος · OnḗsimosA personal name meaning “useful” or “beneficial.” Paul plays on this meaning in verse 11., whom I fathered while in my chains, 11. who was formerly uselessἄχρηστος · áchrēstosUseless or unprofitable; contrasted with euchrēstos in Paul’s wordplay on Onesimus’s name. to you but now is usefulεὔχρηστος · eúchrēstosUseful or serviceable; the positive half of Paul’s wordplay in verse 11. to both of us. 12. I have sent him back to you. This one is my deepest affectionσπλάγχνα · splánchnaLiterally “inward parts”; figuratively the seat of deep affection, compassion, or heartfelt concern.. 13. I wanted to keep him with me, so that he might provide assistance to me on your behalf while I am in chains because of the gospel. 14. But without your input, I did not want to do anything, because your good deed should not be out of obligationἀνάγκη · anánkēNecessity or compulsion; Paul wants Philemon’s good deed to be freely chosen, not forced. Parsing: accusative feminine singular noun (ἀνάγκην), governed by κατά. The contrast is between acting under compulsion and acting voluntarily. but by your permissionἑκούσιον · hekoúsionVoluntary or willing; the contrast to acting under compulsion in verse 14. Parsing: accusative neuter singular adjective (ἑκούσιον). Describes Philemon’s good deed as voluntary, not compelled.. 15. For it may be that he was separated from you for a time, so that you might have him back forever, 16. no longer as a slaveδοῦλος · doúlosSlave or enslaved person, not merely a hired servant; the term denotes an unfree legal status in the Roman world. Parsing in verse 16: accusative masculine singular noun (δοῦλον). The legal status of slavery contrasts with the new familial relationship Paul emphasizes. Parsing in verse 16: accusative masculine singular noun (δοῦλον). The legal status of slavery contrasts with the new familial relationship Paul emphasizes., but more thanὑπέρ · hypérHere, “more than” or “beyond”: Paul asks Philemon to recognize Onesimus as more than a slave. Parsing: preposition with the accusative (ὑπὲρ δοῦλον). Here it means “more than” a slave, rather than merely describing Onesimus’s legal status. a slave; a beloved brotherἀδελφός · adelphósBrother; in this letter a fellow believer, with implications for Philemon’s treatment of Onesimus., especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the earthly realm and in the Lord.
17. So if you consider me a partnerκοινωνός · koinōnósPartner or sharer, related to koinōnia; Paul appeals to their common fellowship. Parsing: accusative masculine singular noun (κοινωνόν). Paul invokes their shared partnership as the basis for his request., receiveπροσλαβοῦ · proslaboûReceive or welcome (from proslambanō); Paul asks Philemon to welcome Onesimus as he would Paul. Parsing: aorist middle imperative, second-person singular (προσλαβοῦ), from προσλαμβάνω. Paul directly instructs Philemon to welcome Onesimus as he would welcome Paul. The middle voice is normal for this verb and does not necessarily add a reflexive meaning. him as you would me. 18. If he has wronged you in anything or owes you anything, charge that to me. 19. I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay you, so that I should not need to say to you that you owe even yourself to me. 20. Yes, brotherἀδελφός · adelphósBrother; in this letter a fellow believer, with implications for Philemon’s treatment of Onesimus., may I have this benefitὀνίνημι · onínēmiTo benefit or help; Paul’s “may I have this benefit” echoes Onesimus’s name. from you in the Lord. Refreshἀναπαύω · anapaúōTo refresh or give rest; Paul recalls Philemon’s past encouragement and asks him to refresh Paul’s heart. Parsing in verse 20: aorist active imperative, second-person singular (ἀνάπαυσον). Paul directly asks Philemon to refresh his heart; the aorist views the requested action as a whole, not necessarily as immediate or once-only. my heartσπλάγχνα · splánchnaLiterally “inward parts”; figuratively the seat of deep affection, compassion, or heartfelt concern. in Christ. 21. Having confidence that you would do as I request, I wrote to you, knowing that you will do even more than what I ask.
22. At the same time, prepare a guest room for me, for I hope that through your prayers I will be granted to you. 23. Epaphras, my fellow‑prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you, 24. as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke—my coworkers. 25. The graceχάρις · chárisGrace or favor; God’s gracious gift and disposition, framing Paul’s opening and closing blessings. of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.