HelpFinder Bible - Flipbook - Page 1476
P H ILEMO N
page 1106
you, and he expects others to forgive you of your sins against them. We must forgive
completely, refusing to hold a grudge against anyone. The offense is wiped from our
minds, forgiven forever, and we free ourselves and the offender to begin the relationship afresh.
Key verses in Philemon
1:3 May God our Father and the
Lord Jesus Christ give you grace
and peace.
you understand and experience
all the good things we have in
Christ.
1:6 And I am praying that you
will put into action the generosity
that comes from your faith as
1:15-16 It seems you lost
Onesimus for a little while so that
you could have him back forever.
Greetings from Paul
This letter is from Paul, a prisoner for preaching
the Good News about Christ Jesus, and from our
brother Timothy.
I am writing to Philemon, our beloved coworker, 2 and to our sister Apphia, and to our
fellow soldier Archippus, and to the church that
meets in your* house.
3 May God our Father and the Lord Jesus
Christ give you grace and peace.
Paul’s Thanksgiving and Prayer
4 I always thank my God when I pray for you,
Philemon, 5 because I keep hearing about your
faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all of
God’s people. 6 And I am praying that you will
put into action the generosity that comes from
• Forgiveness
PH ILE MO N 1 :1 5 -1 6
Paul urged Philemon to be reconciled
to his slave, receiving him now as a
Christian brother and fellow member
of God’s family. Reconciliation means
that we reestablish a relationship.
Christ has reconciled us to God and
to others. Many barriers arise between
people—race, social status, personality
differences, misunderstandings—but
Christ can break down these barriers.
Paul recognized that Philemon had
every legal right to take action against
his runaway slave. Paul also knew that,
in Christ, his friend could see the slave
in a new way—as a fellow believer and
member of Christ’s body. When Jesus
transforms us, we have no excuse for
allowing old differences and arguments
to continue.
He is no longer like a slave to you.
He is more than a slave, for he is
a beloved brother, especially to
me. Now he will mean much more
to you, both as a man and as a
brother in the Lord.
your faith as you understand and experience
all the good things we have in Christ. 7 Your
love has given me much joy and comfort, my
brother, for your kindness has often refreshed
the hearts of God’s people.
Paul’s Appeal for Onesimus
8 That is why I am boldly asking a favor of you.
I could demand it in the name of Christ because it is the right thing for you to do. 9 But
because of our love, I prefer simply to ask you.
Consider this as a request from me—Paul, an
old man and now also a prisoner for the sake
of Christ Jesus.*
10 I appeal to you to show kindness to my
child, Onesimus. I became his father in the
faith while here in prison. 11 Onesimus* hasn’t
been of much use to you in the past, but now
he is very useful to both of us. 12 I am sending him back to you, and with him comes my
own heart.
13 I wanted to keep him here with me while
I am in these chains for preaching the Good
News, and he would have helped me on your
behalf. 14 But I didn’t want to do anything
without your consent. I wanted you to help
because you were willing, not because you
were forced. 15 It seems you lost Onesimus for
a little while so that you could have him back
forever. 16 He is no longer like a slave to you.
He is more than a slave, for he is a beloved
brother, especially to me. Now he will mean
much more to you, both as a man and as a
brother in the Lord.
17 So if you consider me your partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. 18 If he
has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge it to me. 19 I, Paul, write this
with my own hand: I will repay it. And
2 Throughout this letter, you and your are singular except
in verses 3, 22, and 25. 9 Or a prisoner of Christ Jesus.
11 Onesimus means “useful.”