Philemon 1:14

Philemon 1:14

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.

Philemon’s Obedience Encouraged

17 If then you count me as a partner, receive him as you would me.

Commentaries:

Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)

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Philemon 1:15 >>

Without thy mind (xwriv thv shv gnwmhv). Judgment, purpose (I Corinthians 1:10; I Corinthians 7:25). Ablative case with xwriv (apart from).

I would do nothing (ouden hqelhsa poihsai). First aorist active indicative of qelw, I decided, I wished, decision reached (cf. eboulomhn in verse Philemon 1:13.

Thy goodness (to agaqon sou). Neuter articular adjective (thy good deed).

As of necessity (wv kata anagkhn). "As if according to compulsion." See II Corinthians 9:7.

But of free will (alla kata ekousion). According to what is voluntary (Numbers 15:3). Perhaps tropon (way, manner) is to be understood with the adjective ekousiov (old word, here alone in N.T.), from ekwn (I Corinthians 9:17; Romans 8:20).

**Other Robertson's Word Pictures (NT) entries containing Philemon 1:14:**

Acts 3:17

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Philemon 1:15 >>

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