Paul’s Plea for Onesimus

⁸ Therefore, although in Christ I could be bold and order you to do what you ought to do, ⁹ yet I prefer to appeal to you^(A) on the basis of love. It is as none other than Paul—an old man and now also a prisoner^(B) of Christ Jesus—

¹⁶ no longer as a slave,^(A) but better than a slave, as a dear brother.^(B) He is very dear to me but even dearer to you, both as a fellow man and as a brother in the Lord.