Philemon 8-14
New International Version
Paul’s Plea for Onesimus
8 Therefore, although in Christ I could be bold and order you to do what you ought to do, 9 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.
Footnotes
- Philemon 1:10 Onesimus means useful.
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
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