Philemon

Philemon 1:10–16

¹⁰I appeal to you for my child Onesimus,^b whose father I became while I was in chains. ¹¹Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me. ¹²I am sending back to you him who is my very heart.

¹³I would have liked to keep him with me, so that on your behalf he could minister to me in my chains for the gospel. ¹⁴But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that your goodness will not be out of compulsion, but by your own free will. ¹⁵For perhaps this is why he was separated from you for a while, so that you might have him back for good — ¹⁶no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a beloved brother. He is especially beloved to me, but even more so to you, both in person and in the Lord.

Footnotes

b 1:10 Onesimus means useful (see verse 11) or beneficial (see verse 20).

Read all of Philemon 1

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Greek it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Philemon 1:10

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
I appeal	Παρακαλῶ	Parakalō	Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular	G3870 I summon, entreat, admonish, comfort
to you	σε	se	Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person Singular	G4771 you
for	περὶ	peri	Preposition	G4012 about, concerning, around
my	ἐμοῦ	emou	Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Singular	G1699 mine
child	τέκνου	teknou	Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular	G5043 a child, descendent, inhabitant
Onesimus	Ὀνήσιμον	Onēsimon	Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular	G3682 Onesimus
whose	ὃν	hon	Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Masculine Singular	G3739 who, which, what, that
father I became	ἐγέννησα	egennēsa	Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular	G1080 I beget, bring forth, give birth to
in	ἐν	en	Preposition	G1722 in, on, among
chains	δεσμοῖς	desmois	Noun - Dative Masculine Plural	G1199 a bond, chain

Philemon 1:11

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Formerly	ποτέ	pote	Particle	G4218 at one time or other
useless	ἄχρηστον	achrēston	Adjective - Accusative Masculine Singular	G890 unprofitable, useless
to you	σοι	soi	Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Singular	G4771 you
but	δὲ	de	Conjunction	G1161 but, on the other hand, and
now	νυνὶ	nyni	Adverb	G3570 now, already, at present
useful	εὔχρηστον	euchrēston	Adjective - Accusative Masculine Singular	G2173 useful, serviceable
both	καὶ	kai	Conjunction	G2532 and, even, also, namely
to you	σοὶ	soi	Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Singular	G4771 you
and	καὶ	kai	Conjunction	G2532 and, even, also, namely
to me	ἐμοὶ	emoi	Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person Singular	G1473 I

Philemon 1:12

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
I am sending back	ἀνέπεμψά	anepempsa	Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular	G375 I send up to a higher tribunal, I send back
to you	σοι	soi	Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Singular	G4771 you
him	αὐτόν	auton	Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular	G846 he, she, it, they, them, same
who	τοῦτ’	tout’	Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Neuter Singular	G3778 this, he, she, it
is	ἔστιν	estin	Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular	G1510 I am, exist
my	ἐμὰ	ema	Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative Neuter 1st Person Plural	G1699 mine
very heart	σπλάγχνα	splanchna	Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural	G4698 bowels, compassion, pity

Philemon 1:13

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
I	ἐγὼ	egō	Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 1st Person Singular	G1473 I
would have liked	ἐβουλόμην	eboulomēn	Verb - Imperfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 1st Person Singular	G1014 I will, intend, desire
to keep	κατέχειν	katechein	Verb - Present Infinitive Active	G2722 I hold fast, bind, restrain
with	πρὸς	pros	Preposition	G4314 to, towards, with
me	ἐμαυτὸν	emauton	Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 1st Person Singular	G1683 of myself
so that	ἵνα	hina	Conjunction	G2443 in order that, so that
on your behalf	σοῦ	sou	Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Singular	G4771 you
he could minister to	διακονῇ	diakonē	Verb - Present Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular	G1247 I wait at table, serve
me	μοι	moi	Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person Singular	G1473 I
in	ἐν	en	Preposition	G1722 in, on, among
chains	δεσμοῖς	desmois	Noun - Dative Masculine Plural	G1199 a bond, chain
for the	τοῦ	tou	Article - Genitive Neuter Singular	G3588 the
gospel	εὐαγγελίου	euangeliou	Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular	G2098 the good news, the gospel

Philemon 1:14

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
But	δὲ	de	Conjunction	G1161 but, on the other hand, and
I did	ἠθέλησα	ēthelēsa	Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular	G2309 I will, wish, desire
to do	ποιῆσαι	poiēsai	Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active	G4160 I do, make
without	Χωρὶς	Chōris	Preposition	G5565 apart from, without
your	σῆς	sēs	Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Feminine 2nd Person Singular	G4674 yours, thy, thine
consent	γνώμης	gnōmēs	Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular	G1106 opinion, counsel, judgment, intention
so that	ἵνα	hina	Conjunction	G2443 in order that, so that
your	σου	sou	Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Singular	G4771 you
goodness	ἀγαθόν	agathon	Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singular	G18 good
will not be	ᾖ	ē	Verb - Present Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular	G1510 I am, exist
out of	κατὰ	kata	Preposition	G2596 down from, against, according to, throughout, during
compulsion	ἀνάγκην	anankēn	Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular	G318 necessity, constraint, compulsion
but	ἀλλὰ	alla	Conjunction	G235 but, except
by	κατὰ	kata	Preposition	G2596 down from, against, according to, throughout, during
your own free will	ἑκούσιον	hekousion	Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular	G1595 willing, voluntary, spontaneous

Philemon 1:15

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
For	γὰρ	gar	Conjunction	G1063 for
perhaps	τάχα	tacha	Adverb	G5029 quickly, perhaps
this is why	διὰ	dia	Preposition	G1223 through, on account of
he was separated	ἐχωρίσθη	echōristhē	Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular	G5563 I separate, depart
for	πρὸς	pros	Preposition	G4314 to, towards, with
a while	ὥραν	hōran	Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular	G5610 an hour, season
so that	ἵνα	hina	Conjunction	G2443 in order that, so that
you might have him back	ἀπέχῃς	apechēs	Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 2nd Person Singular	G568 I have in full, am far, it is enough
for good	αἰώνιον	aiōnion	Adjective - Accusative Masculine Singular	G166 eternal, unending

Philemon 1:16

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
no longer	οὐκέτι	ouketi	Adverb	G3765 no longer, no more
as	ὡς	hōs	Adverb	G5613 as, like as, how, while, so that
a slave	δοῦλον	doulon	Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular	G1401 a male slave
but	ἀλλὰ	alla	Conjunction	G235 but, except
better than	ὑπὲρ	hyper	Preposition	G5228 in behalf of, above
a slave	δοῦλον	doulon	Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular	G1401 a male slave
a beloved	ἀγαπητόν	agapēton	Adjective - Accusative Masculine Singular	G27 loved, beloved
brother	ἀδελφὸν	adelphon	Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular	G80 a brother
especially	μάλιστα	malista	Adverb	G3122 most of all, especially
to me	ἐμοί	emoi	Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person Singular	G1473 I
but	δὲ	de	Conjunction	G1161 but, on the other hand, and
even more so	πόσῳ	posō	Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Dative Neuter Singular	G4214 how much, how great, how many
to you	σοὶ	soi	Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Singular	G4771 you
both	καὶ	kai	Conjunction	G2532 and, even, also, namely
in	ἐν	en	Preposition	G1722 in, on, among
person	σαρκὶ	sarki	Noun - Dative Feminine Singular	G4561 flesh, body
and	καὶ	kai	Conjunction	G2532 and, even, also, namely
in	ἐν	en	Preposition	G1722 in, on, among
Lord	Κυρίῳ	Kyriō	Noun - Dative Masculine Singular	G2962 lord, Lord, master, sir