Philemon 8-14
World English Bible
8 Therefore though I have all boldness in Christ to command you that which is appropriate, 9 yet for love’s sake I rather beg, being such a one as Paul, the aged, but also a prisoner of Jesus Christ. 10 I beg you for my child, whom I have become the father of in my chains, Onesimus,[a] 11 who once was useless to you, but now is useful to you and to me. 12 I am sending him back. Therefore receive him, that is, my own heart, 13 whom I desired to keep with me, that on your behalf he might serve me in my chains for the Good News. 14 But I was willing to do nothing without your consent, that your goodness would not be as of necessity, but of free will.
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- 1:10 Onesimus means “useful”.
Philemon 8-14
International Standard Version
Paul’s Plea for Onesimus
8 For this reason, although in the Messiah[a] I have complete freedom to order you to do what is proper, 9 I prefer to make my appeal on the basis of love. I, Paul, as an old man and now a prisoner of the Messiah[b] Jesus, 10 appeal to you on behalf of my child Onesimus, whose father I have become during my imprisonment. 11 Once he was useless to you, but now he is very useful[c] both to you and to me. 12 As I send him back, it’s like I’m coming along with him.[d] 13 I wanted to keep him with me so that he could serve me in your place during my imprisonment for the gospel. 14 Yet I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that your good deed might not be something forced, but voluntary.
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- Philemon 1:8 Or Christ
- Philemon 1:9 Or Christ
- Philemon 1:11 The Gk. name Onesimus means useful
- Philemon 1:12 Lit. back, it’s with my innards
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