Greco-Christian stream·New Testament·Pauline Epistles·Philemon

Source context

Theme

intercession for a slave's freedom as expression of Christian brotherhood transcending social hierarchy

Steiner

not engaged in the GA corpus

Cross-tradition

• Stoic cosmopolitanismStoic doctrine of universal rational kinship (Epictetus, Seneca) held that the inner freedom of the wise man rendered juridical slavery metaphysically irrelevant, offering cross-tradition congruence with Paul's appeal on grounds of spiritual kinship rather than legal status.
• Kabbalah — tikkunThe Kabbalistic principle of tikkun (repair of rupture within the social-spiritual order) shows cross-tradition congruence with Paul's mediation between Philemon and Onesimus as an act of restoring broken relational wholeness.

Philemon

ASV (American Standard Version, 1901)

Philemon 1

1:1Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon our beloved and fellow-worker,

1:2and to Apphia our sister, and to Archippus our fellow-soldier, and to the church in thy house:

1:3Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

1:4I thank my God always, making mention of thee in my prayers,

1:5hearing of thy love, and of the faith which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all the saints;

1:6that the fellowship of thy faith may become effectual, in the knowledge of every good thing which is in you, unto Christ.

1:7For I had much joy and comfort in thy love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through thee, brother.

1:8Wherefore, though I have all boldness in Christ to enjoin thee that which is befitting,

1:9yet for love’s sake I rather beseech, being such a one as Paul the aged, and now a prisoner also of Christ Jesus:

1:10I beseech thee for my child, whom I have begotten in my bonds, Onesimus,

1:11who once was unprofitable to thee, but now is profitable to thee and to me:

1:12whom I have sent back to thee in his own person, that is, my very heart:

1:13whom I would fain have kept with me, that in thy behalf he might minister unto me in the bonds of the gospel:

1:14but without thy mind I would do nothing; that thy goodness should not be as of necessity, but of free will.

1:15For perhaps he was therefore parted from thee for a season, that thou shouldest have him for ever;

1:16no longer as a servant, but more than a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much rather to thee, both in the flesh and in the Lord.

1:17If then thou countest me a partner, receive him as myself.

1:18But if he hath wronged thee at all, or oweth thee aught, put that to mine account;

1:19I Paul write it with mine own hand, I will repay it: that I say not unto thee that thou owest to me even thine own self besides.

1:20Yea, brother, let me have joy of thee in the Lord: refresh my heart in Christ.

1:21Having confidence in thine obedience I write unto thee, knowing that thou wilt do even beyond what I say.

1:22But withal prepare me also a lodging: for I hope that through your prayers I shall be granted unto you.

1:23Epaphras, my fellow-prisoner in Christ Jesus, saluteth thee;

1:24and so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow-workers.

1:25The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

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