Onesimus — Bible person

Useful, a slave who, after robbing his master Philemon (q.v.) at Colosse, fled to Rome, where he was converted by the apostle Paul, who sent him back to his master with the epistle which bears his name. In it he beseeches Philemon to receive his slave as a “faithful and beloved brother.” Paul offers to pay to Philemon anything his slave had taken, and to bear the wrong he had done him. He was accompanied on his return by Tychicus, the bearer of the Epistle to the Colossians (Philemon 1:16, 18).

The story of this fugitive Colossian slave is a remarkable evidence of the freedom of access to the prisoner which was granted to all, and “a beautiful illustration both of the character of St. Paul and the transfiguring power and righteous principles of the gospel.”

Selected passages

Show passage in OET: PHM 1:10-18

OET-RV PHM 1:10

10 So I’m going to encourage you concerning Onesimos who became my spiritual ‘son’ since I’ve been imprisoned.

OET-RV PHM 1:11

11 Before, he was useless to you, but now he’s useful to both of us.

OET-RV PHM 1:12

12 I sent him to you (even though in my heart

OET-RV PHM 1:13

13 I wanted to keep him here) so that he might be serving me here due to the bonds of the good message,

OET-RV PHM 1:14

14 but I didn’t want to do anything without hearing your opinion, so that you’re not doing good because you have to, but rather because you want to.

OET-RV PHM 1:15

15 It was possibly because of that that he was separated from you for a while, so that on the eternal scale you could fully accept him,

OET-RV PHM 1:16

16 no longer as a slave, but better than a slave—a dear brother to me most of all, but preferably also to you—a brother in the body and in Yahweh.

OET-RV PHM 1:17

17 Therefore, if you consider me as your partner, accept him like you’d accept me,

OET-RV PHM 1:18

18 but if he did anything wrong to you or owes you anything, charge it to me.

OET-LV PHM 1:10

10 I _am _exhorting you for the of _mine child, whom I _bore in my bonds, Onaʸsimos,

OET-LV PHM 1:11

11 which once to _you useless, but right _now to _you and to _me useful,

OET-LV PHM 1:12

12 whom I _sent _up to _you him, this is the my heart,

OET-LV PHM 1:13

13 whom I was _wishing with myself to _be _keeping, in _order _that for you unto _me he _may _be _serving in the bonds of _the good _message,

OET-LV PHM 1:14

14 but apart _from the your opinion, nothing I _wanted to _do, in _order _that not as according _to necessity the good of _you may _be, but according _to willing.

OET-LV PHM 1:15

15 For/Because possibly because _of this, he _was _separated for an_hour, in _order _that eternal him you _may _receive _fully,

OET-LV PHM 1:16

16 no _longer as a_slave, but above a_slave, a_brother beloved, most _of _all to _me and how _much rather to _you, both in the_flesh and in the_master.

OET-LV PHM 1:17

17 Therefore if me you _are _having a_partner, receive him as me.

OET-LV PHM 1:18

18 But if anything he _did _wrong to _you or is _owing you, this to _me be _imputing.

Jump to OET PHM 1:10–18 section.

Recorded scripture occurrences (2)

References recorded in the source data; this is not an exhaustive list of mentions.

Show passage in OET: COL 4:9

OET-RV COL 4:9

9 The faithful and dear brother, Onesimos, who’s from your place will also be with him.

OET-LV COL 4:9

9 with Onaʸsimos, the faithful and beloved brother, who is of you _all.
They _will _be _making _known all things to _you _all the things here.

Show passage in OET: PHM 1:10

OET-RV PHM 1:10

10 So I’m going to encourage you concerning Onesimos who became my spiritual ‘son’ since I’ve been imprisoned.

OET-LV PHM 1:10

10 I _am _exhorting you for the of _mine child, whom I _bore in my bonds, Onaʸsimos,

Jump to OET COL 4:9 section.

Jump to OET PHM 1:10 section.

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