Philemon 8-14
Legacy Standard Bible
8 Therefore, (A)though I have much boldness in Christ to command you to do what is (B)proper, 9 yet for love’s sake I rather (C)plead with you—since I am such a person as Paul, [a]the (D)aged, and now also (E)a prisoner of (F)Christ Jesus—
Plea for Onesimus
10 I (G)plead with you for my (H)child [b](I)Onesimus, of whom I became a [c]father in my chains, 11 who formerly was useless to you, but now is useful both to you and to me. 12 I have sent him back to you in person, that is, my very heart, 13 whom I intended to keep with me, so that on your behalf he might minister to me in my (J)chains for the gospel, 14 but without your consent I did not want to do anything, so that your goodness would (K)not be, in effect, by compulsion but voluntarily.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Philemon 1:9 Or an ambassador
- Philemon 1:10 Useful
- Philemon 1:10 Or begotten
Philemon 8-14
Common English Bible
Paul’s appeal for Onesimus
8 Therefore, though I have enough confidence in Christ to command you to do the right thing, 9 I would rather appeal to you through love. I, Paul—an old man, and now also a prisoner for Christ Jesus— 10 appeal to you for my child Onesimus. I became his father in the faith during my time in prison. 11 He was useless to you before, but now he is useful to both of us. 12 I’m sending him back to you, which is like sending you my own heart. 13 I considered keeping him with me so that he might serve me in your place during my time in prison because of the gospel. 14 However, I didn’t want to do anything without your consent so that your act of kindness would occur willingly and not under pressure.
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