Philemon 1

Because Philemon consists of only one chapter, this chapter is the entire book. It is among the shortest of the Pauline epistles. Because Paul wrote it while imprisoned, it is commonly grouped among the "Prison Epistles."

Outline

• Verses 1–3 Paul, a prisoner, and Timothy greet Philemon, Apphia, Archippus, and the church in Philemon's house.
• Verses 4–7 Paul gives thanks on hearing of Philemon's love and faith, and says that through him the hearts of the saints have been refreshed.
• Verses 8–14 Paul states that although he could command, he instead appeals for love's sake. He sends Onesimus, the son he begot while in bonds, back to Philemon.
• Verses 15–21 Paul asks Philemon to receive Onesimus not as a servant but as a beloved brother. In his own handwriting he promises to repay whatever Onesimus owes.
• Verses 22–25 Paul asks that lodging be prepared for him. He conveys greetings from Epaphras, Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, and closes with a benediction.

Key Verses

• Philemon 1:10 "for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds" — This shows that Onesimus came to faith through Paul.
• Philemon 1:11 "Which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me" — A play on the name Onesimus, which means "useful" or "profitable."
• Philemon 1:16 "Not now as a servant … a brother beloved" — The appeal of the whole letter is concentrated in this verse.

People and Places

• Paul: The apostle who wrote the letter. He was imprisoned at the time.
• Timothy: Named as co-sender.
• Philemon and Onesimus: Philemon is a believer in whose house the church meets; Onesimus is his servant.
• Apphia: Called "sister" in many manuscripts and translations (the KJV reads "our beloved Apphia"). Many interpreters regard her as Philemon's wife, though the text does not say so.
• Archippus: A worker described as a "fellowsoldier."
• Epaphras, Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke: Coworkers who were with Paul and sent their greetings.

Points for Reflection

• The traditional interpretation regards Onesimus as a runaway slave. The text, however, does not explicitly mention flight, and so some hold that he sought out Paul to ask him to intercede.
• The letter is traditionally thought to have been written from Rome, though some suggest Ephesus or Caesarea.
• Paul does not directly call for the abolition of slavery itself. As a result, the letter has been cited in support of differing positions in debates over slavery. This history is treated in the article Abolitionism.
• A tradition identifies this Onesimus with the later Onesimus, bishop of Ephesus, but the identification is uncertain.
• Onesimus and Archippus also appear in Colossians 4, and the names of those sending greetings overlap. For this reason the two letters are commonly thought to have been sent together at about the same time.

In the Korean Church

• The chapter is frequently used in preaching as a model of forgiveness, reconciliation, and intercession on behalf of others.