Philemon 1

Philemon · Chapter 1

Philemon 1:18

1Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy our brother, unto Philemon our dearly beloved, and fellowlabourer,2And to our beloved Apphia, and Archippus our fellowsoldier, and to the church in thy house:3Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.4I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers,5Hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints;6That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.7For we have great joy and consolation in thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother.8Wherefore, though I might be much bold in Christ to enjoin thee that which is convenient,9Yet for love’s sake I rather beseech thee, being such an one as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ.10I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds:11Which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me:12Whom I have sent again: thou therefore receive him, that is, mine own bowels:13Whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel:14But without thy mind would I do nothing; that thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly.15For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him for ever;16Not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord?17If thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself.18If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account;19I 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.20Yea, brother, let me have joy of thee in the Lord: refresh my bowels in the Lord.21Having confidence in thy obedience I wrote unto thee, knowing that thou wilt also do more than I say.22But withal prepare me also a lodging: for I trust that through your prayers I shall be given unto you.23There salute thee Epaphras, my fellowprisoner in Christ Jesus;24Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, my fellowlabourers.25The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
18If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account;But if he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge it to my account.But if he hath wronged thee at all, or oweth thee aught, put that to mine account;

In context

AI-assisted, sourced

Paul is asking Philemon to take back Onesimus, who had departed from him and has now become a believer, as a beloved brother. Here Paul says that if Onesimus has wronged Philemon or owes him anything, Philemon should charge it to Paul. In the next verse Paul signs a promise in his own hand: "I will repay it." Philemon 1:10Philemon 1:15Philemon 1:16Philemon 1:17Philemon 1:18Philemon 1:19

SpeakingPaul, writing from prison with Timothy. Philemon 1:1Philemon overview

ToPhilemon, Paul's beloved fellow-worker, along with Apphia, Archippus and the church that met in his house. Philemon 1:1Philemon 1:2Philemon overview

Also involvedOnesimus, Philemon's servant. He had been "unprofitable" to Philemon and had "departed," but he became a believer through Paul. Philemon 1:10Philemon 1:11Philemon 1:15Philemon overview

Paul offers to stand in for Onesimus. Any wrong done or debt owed to Philemon is to be put on Paul's account, and Paul promises in writing to pay it back. This removes any loss that might stand in the way of Philemon receiving Onesimus "as myself." Philemon 1:17Philemon 1:18Philemon 1:19Philemon overview

Paul writes from prison. The letter does not name the city, and Rome is the traditional view. It was sent to Philemon's household, which was most likely in Colossae in the province of Asia. Philemon overview

ASIAGALATIAPHRYGIAAegean SeaColossaeLaodiceaHierapolisEphesusMiletus

The eventsThis happened while Paul was in prison, when Onesimus was being sent back to Philemon. Onesimus travelled with Tychicus, who also carried the letter to the Colossians. Philemon 1:9Philemon 1:12Philemon overview

WrittenTraditional view: about AD 60-62, during Paul's imprisonment in Rome, at the same time as Colossians. Scholarly view: nearly all scholars accept that Paul wrote it, but some place the imprisonment at Ephesus (about AD 54-55) or Caesarea (about AD 57-59). Philemon overview

HerePaul chooses to appeal for love's sake rather than give orders. By taking on any debt himself, he clears the way for Philemon to welcome Onesimus freely and willingly. Philemon 1:8Philemon 1:9Philemon 1:14Philemon overview

In the whole of ScriptureOne of the letter's themes is one person taking another's debt on himself. The cross-references point to Isaiah 53:4, where one "hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows." The word for "put on account" is also used of sin being reckoned in Romans 5:13. Philemon overviewIsaiah 53:4Strong's G1677

For readersPaul does not just ask Philemon to forgive. He pays the cost of reconciliation himself. Readers see love that makes peace between others by bearing their burden. Philemon 1:17Philemon 1:18Philemon 1:19Philemon 1:20

  • put that on mine accountἐλλογέω
    Greek · ellogeō · G1677

    The word means "to charge to one's account, impute." Besides this verse, it is used of sin being reckoned in Romans 5:13. It is bookkeeping language: Paul asks for the debt to be entered under his own name. Strong's G1677

  • wrongedἀδικέω
    Greek · adikeō · G0091

    The word means to do wrong or to wrong someone. It is used the same way in Matthew 20:13 and Colossians 3:25. Paul admits Onesimus may truly have harmed Philemon and does not excuse it. He offers to cover it. Strong's G0091

  • owethὀφείλω
    Greek · opheilō · G3784

    The word means to owe or be a debtor, as in the debts of Matthew 18:28 and Luke 7:41. In the next verse Paul turns the idea around, reminding Philemon that he owes Paul "even thine own self." Strong's G3784Philemon 1:19

Takeaway

Paul makes himself responsible for whatever Onesimus owes, so that nothing stands between Philemon and his returning brother. Real reconciliation can mean someone willingly bearing the cost for another. Philemon 1:16Philemon 1:18Philemon 1:19Philemon overview

Drafted by AI from the Scripture and data shown under “Show sources,” then checked automatically and by a second AI pass. Updated 2026-10-23.

The world around the text

Behind this verse

Asking a friend to plead
Roman lawyers discussed slaves who went to a friend of their master to ask him to plead for them, and held that such a slave was not counted a runaway. Pliny the Younger wrote a letter of this kind, begging a friend to forgive a freedman who had come to him in tears. Justinian, Digest 21.1.17.4 (citing Proculus)Pliny the Younger, Letters 9.21, 9.24

About AD 60-62. Roman emperor: Nero (AD 54-68). Where Philemon and the church in his house lived. A small town in the Lycus valley of Phrygia, in the Roman province of Asia, about 190 km (120 miles) east of Ephesus.

Who ruled
  • Roman emperorNeroAD 54-68

    Emperor over Rome, Asia and Judea. Paul, a Roman citizen, had appealed to Caesar, who in these years was Nero. Acts 25:10-12Acts 28:16Suetonius, NeroTacitus, Annals 13-16

  • Governor of the province where Colossae stoodThe proconsul of AsiaOne-year terms

    Asia was governed by a proconsul appointed for a year at a time, who heard cases in the province's leading cities. Acts 19:38Strabo, Geography 17.3.25

  • Governor of Judea and Jewish client kingFestus and Agrippa IIc. AD 59-62; c. AD 50-90s

    Festus and King Agrippa heard Paul's defense in Caesarea and sent him on to Rome as he had asked. Acts 25:12Acts 25:23-26:32

What was happening, AD 58 to AD 64
  1. AD 58-63
    WarRome and Parthia fight over Armenia

    Roman armies under Corbulo campaigned in Armenia until the two empires made peace in AD 63. Tacitus, Annals 13.34-41, 14.23-26, 15.1-17, 15.24-31

  2. c. AD 59-60
    The churchPaul's voyage to Rome

    Paul sailed for Rome as a prisoner, was shipwrecked on Malta, and reached Rome the following spring. Acts 27:1-28:16

  3. AD 60
    DisasterEarthquake in the Lycus valley

    An earthquake ruined Laodicea, about 16 km (10 miles) from Colossae; Laodicea rebuilt without Rome's help. A later Christian historian says Hierapolis and Colossae fell in the same disaster. Tacitus, Annals 14.27Orosius, History Against the Pagans 7.7.12Colossians 4:13

  4. AD 60-61
    WarBoudica's revolt in Britain

    Boudica, queen of the Iceni, led a rising that burned Colchester, London and St Albans before the Romans defeated her. Tacitus, Annals 14.29-39

  5. c. AD 60-62
    The churchPaul under guard in Rome

    Paul lived two whole years in his own rented house, guarded by a soldier, receiving all who came to him. Colossians, Philemon, Ephesians and Philippians are traditionally dated to these years. Acts 28:16Acts 28:30-31Philippians 1:13

  6. AD 61
    RulersA slave-owner's murder shakes Rome

    When the city prefect Pedanius Secundus was killed by one of his slaves, the Senate upheld the old law that all 400 slaves of his household be executed, despite protests from the crowd. Tacitus, Annals 14.42-45

  7. AD 62
    The churchJames, the Lord's brother, is killed

    Between governors, the high priest Ananus had "James, the brother of Jesus who was called Christ" stoned in Jerusalem. Josephus, Antiquities 20.197-203Galatians 1:19

  8. AD 64
    The churchFire in Rome, and Nero blames the Christians

    After a great fire burned much of Rome, Nero blamed the Christians and put a "vast multitude" to death. Tacitus, Annals 15.38-44Suetonius, Nero 16.2

The full picture: places, culture and daily life. Scripture first, then ancient writers on these years and places (Tacitus, Suetonius, Josephus, Strabo, Herodotus, Pliny, Roman law). Drafted by Claude and not yet reviewed by a person.

Original Greek words

EnglishGreekSay itStrong'sMeaning
IfεἰeiG1487G
if

εἰ (ei) εἰ, conjunctive particle, used in conditions and in indirect questions. I. Conditional, if; 1. with indic, expressing a general assumption; (a) pres.: before indic, pres., Mat.11:14, Rom.8:25, al.; before imperat., Mrk.4:23 9:22, Jhn.15:18, 1Co.7:9, al.; before fut. indic., Luk.16:31, Rom.8:11, al.; before pf. or aor., with negation in apodosis, Mat.12:26, Rom.4:14, al.; similarly, before impf., Luk.17:6, Jhn.8:39; before quæst., Mat.6:23, Jhn.5:47 7:23 8:46, 1Pe.2:20; (b) fut.: Mat.26:33, 1Pe.2:20; (with) pf.: Jhn.11:12, Rom.6:5, al.; …

howeverδέdeG1161
then

δέ (de) δέ (before vowels δ᾽; on the general neglect of the elision in NT, see WH, App., 146; Tdf., Pr., 96), post-positive conjunctive particle; 1. copulative, but, in the next place, and, now (Abbott, JG, 104): Mat.1:2ff., 2Co.6:15, 16, 2Pe.1:5-7; in repetition for emphasis, Rom.3:21, 22, 9:30, 1Co.2:6, Gal.2:2, Php.2:8; in transition to something new, Mat.1:18, 2:19, Luk.13:1, Jhn.7:14, Act.6:1, Rom.8:28, 1Co.7:1 8:1, al.; in explanatory parenthesis or addition, Jhn.3:19, Rom.5:8, 1Co.1:12, Eph.2:4, 5:32, al.; ὡς δέ, Jhn.2:9; καὶ . . . δέ, but also, Mat.10:18, Luk.1:76, Jhn.6:51, Rom.11:23, al.; …

in any wayτιtiG5100
one

τις (tis) τις, neut., τι, genitive, τινός, enclitic indefinite pron., related to interrog. τίς as πού, πως, ποτέ to ποῦ, πῶς, πότε. I. As subst., 1. one, a certain one: Luk.9:49, Jhn.11:1, Act.5:25, al.; pl., τίνες, certain, some: Luk.13:1, Act.15:1, Rom.3:8, al. 2. someone, anyone, something, anything: Mat.12:29, Mrk.9:30, Luk.8:46, Jhn.2:25, Act.17:25, Rom.5:7, al.; = indef., one (French on), Mrk.8:4, Jhn.2:25, Rom.8:24, al.; pl., τινες, some, Mrk.14:4, al. II. II. As adj., …

he has wrongedἠδίκησένēdikēsenG0091
to harm

ἀδικέω (adikeō) ἀδικέω, -ῶ (ἄδικος), [in LXX for עשׁק, עוה, etc. ;] 1. intrans., to be ἄδικος, do wrong, act wickedly or criminally: Act.25:11, 1Co.6:8, 2Co.7:12, Col.3:25, Rev.22:11; to do hurt, Rev.9:19. 2. Trans. (a) to do some wrong: ὃ ἠδίκησεν, Col.3:25; to wrong some one, Mat.20:13, Act.7:26, 27 25:10, 2Co.7:2, Gal.4:12, Phm 18, 2Pe.2:13; pass., Act.7:24, 2Co.7:12; mid., 1Co.6:7 (suffer . . . to be wronged; WM, §38, 3; but see Bl., §54, 5; and cf. ἀποστερέω); (b) to injure, hurt: Luk.10:19 Rev.2:11 6:6 7:2, 3 9:4,10 11:5. † (AS)

youσεseG4771
you

σέ (se) αὐτός, -ή, -ό, determinative pron., in late Gk. much more frequently than in cl. (WM, 178f.; Jannaris, HGG, §1399). 1. Emphatic (so always in nom. exc. when preceded by the art., see infr., iii); (1) self (ipse), expressing opposition, distinction, exclusion, etc., αὐ. ἐκχυθήσεται, Luk.5:37; αὐ. ἐγινώσκεν, Jhn.2:25; αὐ.ὑμεῖς, Jhn.3:28; καὶ αὐ. ἐγώ, Rom.15:14; αὐ. Ἰησοῦς, Jhn.2:24; αὐ. καὶ οἱ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ, Mrk.2:25; ὑμεῖς αὐ., Mrk.6:31; esp. (as freq in cl.) αὐ. ὁ, Mat.3:4, Mrk.6:17, Jhn.16:27, 1Th.3:11, al.; in late Gk., sometimes weakened, ἐν αὐτῇ τ. ὥρᾳ, in that hour, Luk.10:21 (M, Pr., 91; …

orἢēG2228
or

ἤ (ē) ἤ, disjunctive and comparative particle (Bl., §36, 12; 77, 11); 1. disjunctive, or; (a) between single words: Mat.5:17 Mrk.6:56, Luk.2:24, Jhn.6:19, Rom.1:21, al.; (b) before a sentence expressing a variation, denial or refutation of a previous statement, frequently in interrog. form: Mat.7:4, 9 Mrk.12:14, Luk.13:4, Rom.3:29 6:3 9:21, 1Co.6:9, 16 9:6, 2Co.11:7; ἤ . . . ἤ, either . . . or, Mat.6:24, Luk.16:13, 1Co.14:6; …

he owes [you],ὀφείλει,opheileiG3784
to owe

ὀφείλω (opheilō) ὀφείλω [in LXX: Deu.15:2, Isa.24:2 (נָשָׁה), Eze.18:7 (חוֹב), Wis.12:15, 20, al. ;] to owe, be a debtor: with accusative of thing(s), Mat.18:28, Luk.7:41 16:7, Phm 18; id. with dative of person(s), Mat.18:28, Luk.16:5. Pass., to be owed, to be due: τ. ὀφειλόμενον, Mat.18:30, 34. Metaphorical: absol. (= Rabbinic חַיָּב; see McNeile, in l), Mat.23:16, 18; with accusative of thing(s) and dative of person(s), Rom.13:8; with inf., to be bound or obliged to do (of. Westc., Epp. Jo., 50), Luk.17:10, Jhn.13:14 19:7, Act.17:29, Rom.15:1, 27, 1Co.5:10 7:36 9:10 11:7 11:10, 2Co.12:14, Eph.5:28, 2Th.1:3 …

thisτοῦτοtoutoG3778
this/he/she/it

οὗτος (ohutos) οὗτος, αὕτη, τοῦτο, genitive, τούτου, ταύτης, τούτου, [in LXX chiefly for זֹאת ,זֶה ;] demonstr. pron. (related to ἐκεῖνος as hic to ille), this; 1. as subst., this one, he; (a) absol.: Mat.3:17, Mrk.9:7, Luk.7:44, 45, Jhn.1:15, Act.2:15, al.; expressing contempt (cl.), Mat.13:55, 56, Mrk.6:2, 3, Jhn.6:42, al.; εἰς τοῦτο, Mrk.1:38, Rom.14:9; μετὰ τοῦτο (ταῦτα; V. Westc. on Jhn.5:1), Jhn.2:12 11:7, al.; (b) epanaleptic (referring to what precedes): Mat.5:19, Mrk.3:35, Luk.9:48, Jhn.6:46, Rom.7:10, al.; …

to me myselfἐμοὶemoiG1473
I/we

ἐγώ (egō) ἐγώ, genitive, etc., ἐμοῦ, ἐμοί, ἐμέ (enclitic μου, μοι, με), pl. ἡμεῖς, -ῶν, -ῖν, -ᾶς, of person(s) pron. I. (a) The nom. is usually emphatic, when expressed as subjc, as in Mat.3:11, Mrk.1:8, Luk.3:16, al. But often there is no apparent emphasis, as Mat.10:16, Jhn.10:17; ἰδοὺ ἐ. (= Heb. הִנֵּנִי, cf. 1Ki.3:8), Act.9:10; ἐ. (like Heb. אֲנִי), I am, Jhn.1:23 (LXX), Act.7:32 (LXX). …

do charge.ἐλλόγα.¶ellogaG1677
to charge

ἐλλογέω (ellogeō) ἐλλογάω, -ῶ (a κοινή word, elsewhere usually -έω; cf. Bl., § 22, 2), to charge to one's account, impute: Phm 18 (on parallels, cf. Deiss., LAE, 79 f., 335 f.; Milligan, NTD, 73; MM, Exp., xii); of sin, Rom.5:13 (Cremer, 400).† (AS)

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.