Because I know that you love God’s people, I request, rather than command you, to do what you ought to do for my spiritual son Onesimus.

Philemon 8-11

8 So I have a request/favor to ask of you. I am completely confident that I have authority to command you to do what you ought to do, because I am an apostle of Christ. 9 But because I know that you love God’s people, I request this instead of commanding you to do it. It is I, Paul, an old man and now also a prisoner because I serve Christ Jesus, who am requesting it. 10 I request that you do something for someone who has become like my own son because I told him about Christ [MET] while I have been a prisoner [MTY] here. His name is Onesimus. 11 Although his name, as you know, means ‘useful’, formerly he was useless to you. But now he is useful both to you and to me!