Philemon 8-14
New King James Version
The Plea for Onesimus
8 Therefore, though I might be very bold in Christ to command you what is fitting, 9 yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you—being such a one as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ— 10 I appeal to you for my son (A)Onesimus, whom I have begotten while in my chains, 11 who once was unprofitable to you, but now is profitable to you and to me.
12 I am sending him [a]back. You therefore receive him, that is, my own [b]heart, 13 whom I wished to keep with me, that on your behalf he might minister to me in my chains for the gospel. 14 But without your consent I wanted to do nothing, (B)that your good deed might not be by compulsion, as it were, but voluntary.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Philemon 1:12 NU back to you in person, that is, my own heart,
- Philemon 1:12 See v. 7.
Philemon 8-14
Lexham English Bible
Paul’s Appeal for Onesimus
8 Therefore, although I[a] have great confidence in Christ to order you to do what is proper, 9 instead I appeal to you because of love, since I[b] am such a one as Paul, now an old man and also a prisoner of Christ Jesus. 10 I am appealing to you concerning my child whom I became the father of during my imprisonment, Onesimus. 11 Once he was useless to you, but now he is useful to you[c] and to me, 12 whom I have sent back to you himself, that is, my heart, 13 whom I wanted to keep with me, in order that he might serve me on behalf of you during my imprisonment for the gospel. 14 But apart from your consent, I wanted to do nothing, in order that your good deed might be not as according to necessity, but according to your own free will.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Philemon 1:8 Here “although” is supplied as a component of the participle (“have”) which is understood as concessive
- Philemon 1:9 Here “since” is supplied as a component of the participle (“am”) which is understood as causal
- Philemon 1:11 Some manuscripts have “both to you”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
2012 by Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software