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.
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- 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
Disciples’ Literal New Testament
I Appeal To You For Onesimus, Your Slave And Our Beloved Brother
8 Therefore, [although] having much boldness in Christ to be commanding you to do the fitting thing, 9 for the sake of love I am rather appealing— being such a one as Paul, an old-man[a], and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus. 10 I am appealing to you concerning my child whom I fathered in my imprisonment, Onesimus, 11 the one formerly useless[b] to you but now useful both to you and to me, 12 whom I sent-back to you (him! That is, my own deep-feelings[c]!), 13 whom I was wishing to hold-back with myself in order that on behalf of you he might be serving me in my imprisonment for the good-news. 14 But without your consent I wanted to do nothing, in order that your good deed should not be as-if based-on[d] compulsion[e], but based-on willingness[f].
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Philemon 1:9 Or, an ambassador.
- Philemon 1:11 This is a play on words. The name Onesimus means ‘useful’.
- Philemon 1:12 Onesimus represents Paul’s own deep feelings (or, heart) sent back to Philemon to be ‘refreshed’ (v 20).
- Philemon 1:14 Or, by-way-of.
- Philemon 1:14 Or, force, necessity.
- Philemon 1:14 Or, voluntary-choice.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
Disciples' Literal New Testament: Serving Modern Disciples by More Fully Reflecting the Writing Style of the Ancient Disciples, Copyright © 2011 Michael J. Magill. All Rights Reserved. Published by Reyma Publishing
