Philemon 17-25

17: If then you regard me a partner, accept him as you would me. 
18: But if he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge that to my account; 
19: I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand, I will repay it (not to mention to you that you owe to me even your own self as well).
20: Yes, brother, let me benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ.
21: Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, since I know that you will do even more than what I say.

22: At the same time also prepare me a lodging, for I hope that through your prayers I will be given to you.
23: Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you,
24: as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow workers.
25: The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

*** 

Paul continued his appeal to Philemon to accept Onesimus back as a personal favor. Paul asked that if he regarded him as a partner in the faith, to accept Onesimus in the same way. Paul expressed confidence that he would do so and that he would do even more than what Paul asked.

Paul said he would pay back any wrong or any debt Onesimus might owe, making himself personally responsible for them. He was following Jesus’ example in this, who paid the price for our sins. Yet he mentioned that Philemon owed his own life to Paul being a convert of his. By taking on Onesimus’ debt, then asking Philemon for the favor of forgiving it, he thus canceled Onesimus’ debt.

Paul wrote the letter with his own hand rather than having it transcribed, making the plea more personal and meaningful. He closed the letter by asking Philemon to prepare lodging for him as well—hoping to come visit once he was released from prison. (This being his first imprisonment in Rome). He sent final greetings from those with him and sent the grace of the Lord.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Galatians 1:1-10

1: Paul, an apostle (not sent from men nor through the agency of man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead), 2: and all the brethren who are with me, To the churches of Galatia: 3: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, 4: who gave Himself for our sins so that He might rescue us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5: to whom be the glory forevermore. Amen. 6: I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; 7: which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. 8: But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! 9: As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed! 10: For am I now see...
Read more

2 Corinthians 7:8-16

8: For though I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it—for I see that that letter caused you sorrow, though only for a while— 9: I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us. 10: For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death. 11: For behold what earnestness this very thing, this godly sorrow, has produced in you: what vindication of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what avenging of wrong! In everything you demonstrated yourselves to be innocent in the matter. 12: So although I wrote to you, it was not for the sake of the offender nor for the sake of the one offended, but that your earnestness on our behalf might be made known to you i...
Read more

2 Corinthians 10:1-11

1: Now I, Paul, myself urge you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ—I who am meek when face to face with you, but bold toward you when absent! 2: I ask that when I am present I need not be bold with the confidence with which I propose to be courageous against some, who regard us as if we walked according to the flesh. 3: For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, 4: for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. 5: We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, 6: and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete. 7: You are looking at things as they are outwardly. If anyone is confident in himself that he is Christ’s, let him consider this again within himself, that just as he is Christ’s, so also are we. 8: For even if I boast somewh...
Read more