Paul's Plea for Onesimus

Accordingly, (A)though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do (B)what is required, yet for love's sake I prefer to appeal to you—I, Paul, an old man and now (C)a prisoner also for Christ Jesus— 10 I appeal to you for (D)my child, (E)Onesimus,[a] (F)whose father I became in my imprisonment. 11 (Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me.) 12 I am sending him back to you, sending my very heart. 13 I would have been glad to keep him with me, in order that he might serve me (G)on your behalf (H)during my imprisonment for the gospel, 14 but I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your goodness might not be (I)by compulsion but of your own accord.

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Footnotes

  1. Philemon 1:10 Onesimus means useful (see verse 11) or beneficial (see verse 20)

So dio, although echō in en Christ Christos I have echō sufficient polys freedom parrēsia to order epitassō you sy to do what ho you ought anēkō, yet for dia · ho love’ s agapē sake I prefer mallon to appeal parakaleō to you— I toioutos, Paul Paulos, an old man presbytēs and de even kai now nyni a prisoner desmios for the sake of Christ Christos Jesus Iēsous 10 I appeal parakaleō to you sy for peri · ho my emos child teknon, Onesimus Onēsimos, whose hos father I became gennaō while en in ho prison desmos. 11 · ho Formerly pote he was of no use achrēstos to you sy, but de now nyni he has become useful euchrēstos both kai to you sy and kai to me egō. 12 I am sending anapempō him hos back to you sy, that houtos is eimi, the one who autos is · ho my own emos heart splanchnon. 13 I egō wanted boulomai to keep katechō him hos with pros me emautou, so that hina he could minister diakoneō to me egō on hyper your sy behalf during en my ho imprisonment desmos for the ho gospel euangelion, 14 but de I did thelō not oudeis want thelō to do poieō anything oudeis without chōris · ho your sos consent gnōmē, so that hina your sy helpfulness agathos might eimi not be eimi by kata compulsion anankē · ho but alla by kata your own free will hekousios.

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