Philemon 1:13

Philemon 1:13

11 who once was unprofitable to you, but now is profitable to you and to me.

12 I am sending him¹ back. You therefore receive him, that is, my own² heart,

13 whom I wished to keep with me, that on your behalf he might minister to me in my chains for the gospel.

14 But without your consent I wanted to do nothing, ^athat your good deed might not be by compulsion, as it were, but voluntary.

15 For perhaps he departed for a while for this purpose, that you might receive him forever,

16 no longer as a slave but more than a slave—a beloved brother, especially to me but how much more to you, both in the ^aflesh and in the Lord.

Commentaries:

Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)

<< Philemon 1:12

Philemon 1:14 >>

I would fain have kept (eboulomhn katexein). Imperfect middle and present infinitive, "I was wishing to hold back." Again from the standpoint of the arrival of Onesimus.

In thy behalf (uper sou). So "in thy stead," "in place of thee."

He might minister (diakonh). Present active subjunctive (retained after eboulomhn) with ina, purpose continued, "that he might keep on ministering."

**Other Robertson's Word Pictures (NT) entries containing Philemon 1:13:**

Luke 4:42
Philemon 1:14

<< Philemon 1:12

Philemon 1:14 >>

DISCLAIMER: Church of the Great God (CGG) provides these resources to aid the individual in studying the Bible. However, it is up to the individual to "prove all things, and hold fast to that which is good" (I Thessalonians 5:21). The content of these resources does not necessarily reflect the views of CGG. They are provided for information purposes only.