14a
What Paul meant in this verse was that he did not ask Onesimus to stay with him, since Philemon was not there to approve of it. If he had asked Onesimus to stay, this would have been like forcing Philemon to let Onesimus help Paul. Paul may have meant that he wanted Philemon to send Onesimus back later so he could help Paul while Paul was in prison. But Paul wanted Philemon to do this only if Philemon himself wanted to do it, not because Paul said he must do it.
anything: The word anything here means “anything (in this matter about Onesimus).” Paul would not keep Onesimus with him and would not ask Onesimus to come back (to Paul) unless Philemon approved.
without your consent: Other ways to express this are “unless you say OK” or “without you saying it is all right.” See Display for verse 14a.
14b
so that: This phrase introduces the reason why Paul said in 14a “I did not want to do anything without your consent.” The reason is in 14b: “if you agree to do what I ask, it will be because you yourself want to do it, not because I have said you must do it.”
your goodness: Another way to state this is “If you help me like this….”
goodness: Paul was referring here to something kind or helpful Philemon might do for him. See “ appeal” in verse 10.
not be out of compulsion, but by your own free will: If Philemon did a favor for Paul, Paul wanted it to be something Philemon himself decided to do, not something that Paul ordered him to do whether Philemon wanted to do it or not.
out of compulsion: When someone makes or compels you to do something, or forces you to some action.
by your own free will: This means “without someone telling you to do it.” To do it willingly because you want to do it.
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