Paul’s Plea for Onesimus

⁸ For this reason, though I am more than bold enough in Christ to command you to do the right thing, ⁹ yet I would rather appeal to you on the basis of love—and I, Paul, do this as an old man and now also as a prisoner of Christ Jesus.^{[a] 10} I am appealing to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I have become during my imprisonment.^{(A) 11} Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful^[b] to^[c] you and to me. ¹² I am sending him, that is, my own heart, back to you.^{[d] 13} I wanted to keep him with me so that he might minister to me in your place during my imprisonment for the gospel,^{(B) 14} but I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your good deed might be voluntary and not something forced.^(C)