Paul’s Plea for Onesimus

Therefore, although in Christ I could be bold and order you to do what you ought to do, 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— 10 that I appeal to you for my son(C) Onesimus,[a](D) who became my son while I was in chains.(E) 11 Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.

12 I am sending him—who is my very heart—back to you. 13 I would have liked to keep him with me so that he could take your place in helping me while I am in chains(F) for the gospel. 14 But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that any favor you do would not seem forced(G) but would be voluntary.

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Notas al pie

  1. Philemon 1:10 Onesimus means useful.

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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