Philemon 8-14
New American Standard Bible
8 Therefore, (A)though I have [a]enough confidence in Christ to order you to do what is (B)proper, 9 yet for love’s sake I rather (C)appeal to you—since I am such a person as Paul, [b]an (D)old man, and now also (E)a prisoner of (F)Christ Jesus—
Plea for Onesimus, a Free Man
10 I (G)appeal to you for my (H)[c]son [d](I)Onesimus, whom I [e]fathered in my [f]imprisonment, 11 who previously 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, sending my very heart, 13 whom I wanted to keep with me, so that in your behalf he might be at my service in my [g](J)imprisonment for the gospel; 14 but I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that your goodness would (K)not be, in effect, by compulsion, but of your own free will.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Philemon 1:8 Lit much
- Philemon 1:9 Or an ambassador
- Philemon 1:10 Or child
- Philemon 1:10 I.e., useful
- Philemon 1:10 I.e., led to the Lord
- Philemon 1:10 Lit bonds
- Philemon 1:13 Lit bonds
Philemon 8-14
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
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)
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New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.