Filemon 1:8-9

Paul’s Request for Onesimus

1:8 So, although I have quite a lot of confidence in Christ and could command you to do what is proper, 1:9 I would rather appeal ¹  to you on the basis of love – I, Paul, an old man ²  and even now a prisoner for the sake of Christ Jesus ³  –

Filemon 1:20-21

1:20 Yes, brother, let me have some benefit from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ. ⁴  1:21 Since I was confident that you would obey, I wrote to you, because I knew that you would do even more than ⁵  what I am asking you to do.

[1:9]  ¹ tn Or “encourage.”

[1:9]  ² tn Or perhaps “an ambassador” (so RSV, TEV), reading πρεσβευτής for πρεσβύτης (a conjecture proposed by Bentley, cf. BDAG 863 s.v. πρεσβύτης). NRSV reads “old man” and places “ambassador” in a note.

[1:9]  ³ tn Grk “a prisoner of Christ Jesus.”

[1:20]  ⁴ sn Refresh my heart in Christ. Paul desired that Philemon refresh his heart in the same way that he [Philemon] had refreshed the hearts of other believers (cf. Phlm 7), that is, by forgiving and accepting Onesimus. In this way the presence and character of Jesus Christ would be vividly seen in Philemon’s attitude toward his runaway slave.

[1:21]  ⁵ tn Grk “that you would even go beyond.”