Philemon
One page. A runaway slave, his owner, and an apostle who won't just give orders.
Who wrote it: Paul, with Timothy, from prison. Undisputed. Probably around 60 AD, sent alongside Colossians.
What it is
Onesimus was a slave belonging to Philemon, a Christian in Colossae whose house hosted the church. Somehow Onesimus ended up with Paul in prison, possibly having run away, possibly having taken money, possibly sent to help Paul and overstaying; the letter hints but does not say. In prison he became a Christian and useful to Paul, whose name means 'useful' and Paul makes the pun. Now Paul is sending him back with this letter.
It is a masterpiece of persuasion. Paul says he could command Philemon but would rather ask. He calls Onesimus his child, his own heart. He suggests, without quite saying, that Philemon should free him: receive him no longer as a slave but as a beloved brother. If he owes you anything, put it on my account, Paul writes, and then reminds Philemon that he owes Paul his very self. He says he is confident Philemon will do even more than he asks. And he says to prepare a guest room, because he is coming to check.
It is the shortest of Paul's letters and it does not contain a single doctrine. What it contains is the gospel applied to one relationship, between two people whom the world said could never be equals. Fifty years later, a bishop of Ephesus was named Onesimus. Nobody knows if it was him.
Verses worth keeping
- Philemon 1:7WEB
For we have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.
Gen Zsame meaning, your wordsYour love has given me a lot of joy and comfort, brother, because through you the hearts of God's people have been refreshed.
Paul opens by praising Philemon's track record with other believers. He is about to ask him to extend it to one more.
15For perhaps he was therefore separated from you for a while that you would have him forever, 16no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother—especially to me, but how much rather to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.
Gen Zsame meaning, your wordsMaybe this is why he was taken from you for a while: so that you could have him back for good, no longer as a slave, but as more than a slave, as a loved brother. He's that to me especially, and how much more to you, both as a person and in the Lord.
The closest Paul comes to asking for Onesimus's freedom. He leaves it for Philemon to say.
17If then you count me a partner, receive him as you would receive me. 18But if he has wronged you at all or owes you anything, put that to my account.
Gen Zsame meaning, your wordsSo if you count me as your partner, welcome him the way you'd welcome me. And if he's wronged you or owes you anything, charge it to me.
Paul standing in for someone else's debt. Many readers see the cross in this line.
Read Philemon
The full text, every chapter, from the World English Bible, a modern public-domain translation. Pick a chapter below. The whole book is one short chapter.
Philemon 1
1Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon, our beloved fellow worker, 2to the beloved Apphia, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the assembly in your house: 3Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
4I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers, 5hearing of your love and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints, 6that the fellowship of your faith may become effective in the knowledge of every good thing which is in us in Christ Jesus. 7For we have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.
8Therefore though I have all boldness in Christ to command you that which is appropriate, 9yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you, being such a one as Paul, the aged, but also a prisoner of Jesus Christ. 10I appeal to you for my child Onesimus, whom I have become the father of in my chains, 11who once was useless to you, but now is useful to you and to me. 12I am sending him back. Therefore receive him, that is, my own heart, 13whom I desired to keep with me, that on your behalf he might serve me in my chains for the Good News. 14But I was willing to do nothing without your consent, that your goodness would not be as of necessity, but of free will. 15For perhaps he was therefore separated from you for a while that you would have him forever, 16no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother—especially to me, but how much rather to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.
17If then you count me a partner, receive him as you would receive me. 18But if he has wronged you at all or owes you anything, put that to my account. 19I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it (not to mention to you that you owe to me even your own self besides). 20Yes, brother, let me have joy from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in the Lord.
21Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even beyond what I say.
22Also, prepare a guest room for me, for I hope that through your prayers I will be restored to you.
23Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you, 24as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.
25The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
Questions about Philemon
Why didn't Paul just condemn slavery?
He was a prisoner writing to one man in a world where slavery was the economic system. What he did was tell a slave owner to receive his slave as a brother, hint hard at freeing him, and make it a matter of the whole church watching (the letter is addressed to the church too). Christians have argued about whether this was as far as he could go or not far enough. Abolitionists used this letter; so, shamefully, did slaveholders. The text itself only points one way.
What happened to Onesimus?
The Bible does not say. Colossians 4:9 mentions him being sent with Tychicus. Around 110 AD, Ignatius of Antioch wrote to the church in Ephesus and praised their bishop, Onesimus. It could be the same man, freed and grown old in leadership. It could be a different Onesimus. The letter's survival suggests Philemon said yes.