Philemon 25
Philemon 25 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
24 Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, my fellowlabourers.
23 There salute thee Epaphras, my fellowprisoner in Christ Jesus;
22 But withal prepare me also a lodging: for I trust that through your prayers I shall be given unto you.
21 Having confidence in thy obedience I wrote unto thee, knowing that thou wilt also do more than I say.
20 Yea, brother, let me have joy of thee in the Lord: refresh my bowels in the Lord.
19 I Paul have written it with mine own hand, I will repay it: albeit I do not say to thee how thou owest unto me even thine own self besides.
21
This verse showcases Paul's willingness to personally assume Onesimus's debt, an act that mirrors Christ's atonement for humanity's sin. His assertion, "to say nothing of your owing me even your own self," is a powerful rhetorical device. It reminds Philemon that his own spiritual life and conversion are owed to Paul, placing Philemon's potential financial loss in stark contrast to the eternal spiritual debt he has already been forgiven.
20
No major textual differences; minor punctuation variations exist in later manuscripts. Paul shifts from a legalistic appeal to a personal, emotional one. He uses the term "benefit" (ὀναίμην, onaimēn), a word that echoes Onesimus's name, meaning "profitable" or "useful." This wordplay subtly pressures Philemon to accept Onesimus, suggesting that doing so would not only be beneficial to Paul but would also embody the very essence of Christian love. "Refresh my heart" (ἀνάπαυσόν μου τὴν καρδίαν, anapauson mou tēn kardian) is a plea for spiritual rest and comfort that can only be provided by Philemon's charitable act.
19
Paul's personal note is consistent; some manuscripts abbreviate 'I will repay it'. This verse showcases Paul's willingness to personally assume Onesimus's debt, an act that mirrors Christ's atonement for humanity's sin. His assertion, "to say nothing of your owing me even your own self," is a powerful rhetorical device. It reminds Philemon that his own spiritual life and conversion are owed to Paul, placing Philemon's potential financial loss in stark contrast to the eternal spiritual debt he has already been forgiven.
Philemon 25
The closing benediction appears in slightly varied forms in different Pauline letters.
24
No significant variants; the list of co-workers matches Colossians 4:14.