The five men here named are also named in Colossians: Epaphras (Col 1.7-8, 4.12-13), Mark and Aristarchus (Col 4.10), and Demas and Luke (Col 4.14). It is strange that Jesus/Justus (Col 4.11) is omitted here, and it has been conjectured that the Greek text en Christō Iēsou, Markos “in Christ Jesus, (and) Mark” was originally (or was originally meant to be) en Christō, Iēsous, Markos “in Christ, (and) Jesus, Mark.” No translation, however, has adopted this conjecture, not even as a possible variant reading in the margin.

Epaphras is a “fellow prisoner” (Revised Standard Version) of Paul’s (as Aristarchus is called in Col 4.10) for the sake of Christ Jesus, that is, because of his Christian work. Who is in prison with me may expressed as “who is in prison here were I am in prison,” and for the sake of Christ Jesus may be rendered as “because he has told the good news about Christ Jesus” or “because he has preached about Christ Jesus.”

Sends you: the you is here singular, meaning Philemon. Sends you his greetings may be expressed in a number of ways: “says he wants you to know that he thinks of you,” or “wants to tell you he wishes you well,” or “wants you to know that he wants the best for you.”

For fellow workers see Philemon 1.1 (and Col 4.11). And so do my fellow workers Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke may be expressed as “those who work with me, namely, Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke also want me to tell you that they wish you well.”

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to Philemon. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1977. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .