Section 8–21

Paul asks Philemon to accept back Onesimus, Philemon’s runaway slave

This is the main part of the letter. Paul stated clearly in verse 17 what he was asking Philemon to do. He said, “Welcome Onesimus back just as you would welcome me.” But before Paul asked Philemon to do this, he told Philemon several reasons why he should welcome Onesimus back. In verses 8–11, he told Philemon that he wanted him to do something to help Onesimus because Onesimus had become a Christian and would be useful to Philemon. Paul told Philemon that another reason why he should help Onesimus was because Philemon loved Paul and his other Christian brothers. In verses 12–14, Paul said that he was sending Onesimus back to Philemon, even though he wanted to keep Onesimus with him. In verses 15–16, Paul told Philemon why God may have allowed these things to happen, and that he (Paul) loved Onesimus very much. Then in verses 17–21, Paul finally said clearly that he wanted Philemon to welcome Onesimus. Paul offered to pay for anything Onesimus owed to Philemon. He also reminded Philemon that in the past he had helped Philemon become a Christian. This was another reason why Paul expected that Philemon would do what he asked.

In this Section (verses 8–21) Paul, as a Christian brother, asked Philemon to help Onesimus, but did not command him to do it.

Read verses 8–21 carefully in the Berean Standard Bible and the Good News Translation.

Paragraph 8–11 Paul appeals to Philemon on behalf of Onesimus

Read verses 8–11 again, then read the following notes before you translate.

8

So: “For this reason” (Good News Translation). This means that the words in verse 7 are the reason for what Paul said in 8–9a. He was thinking like this: Therefore (since Philemon loves his Christian brothers,) he should also love Onesimus. But Paul did not yet make all of this meaning explicit.

in Christ: There are two ways of understanding the meaning of the phrase in Christ :

(1) As an apostle of Christ, Paul had authority from Christ to command Philemon to do this.

(2) As a Christian brother, Paul had a close relationship with Philemon that freed him to tell Philemon to do this. Good News Translation follows this interpretation by translating this “as your brother in Christ.”

The following phrase in the Berean Standard Bible is: I am bold enough to order you . So the first interpretation fits better with this idea of giving an order in contrast to asking him to do something.

bold: The word bold means “not afraid.” Paul was not afraid to say whatever he should say.

order: To order someone means to command him. It means to tell someone to do something. As an apostle of Christ, Paul could have told Philemon to help Onesimus. But Paul decided it was better to ask him, as a friend and a fellow Christian.

to do what is proper: This refers to what Paul thought Philemon should do in order to act as a Christian should act. What Paul implied here was that he wanted Philemon to welcome Onesimus. But Paul did not say this openly until verse 17.

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