Philemon 1:12-17

Our mouth is open unto you, O you Corinthians, our heart is enlarged, you are not straitened in us, but you are straitened in your own affections. Having detailed his own trials and afflictions, for in patience, says he, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, (v. 4, 5.) in stripes, in impris... Read More

Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one. What Christ said to His disciples, that does Paul also now advise. And what did Christ say? Behold, I send you forth as sheep... Read More

Rom. XV. 25-27 But now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints. For it has pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem. It has pleased them verily, and their debtors they are. Since he had said that I have no longer more plac... Read More

1. THE HOLY APOSTLE ONESIMUS Onesimus was one of the Seventy Lesser Apostles. He was a slave of Philemon but transgressed against his master and fled to Rome where he heard the Gospel from the Apostle Paul and was baptized. Since the Apostle Paul earlier converted Philemon to the True Faith, he reco... Read More

My very heart - Philemon 1:12 This fragment of ancient letter-writing gives us a model of the way in which our commonest or most prosaic dealings, and our letters, even on business matters, may breathe Christ's spirit. It also illustrates the relation in which we stand to Jesus Christ. What Onesimus... Read More

Abstain (568)(apechomai or apecho from apó = away from - conveys the idea of putting some distance between; serves as a marker of dissociation, implying a rupture from a former association + écho = have) means to be away or be at a distance (see discussion of 4 basic meanings below). (Click addition... Read More

Accept (4355) (proslambano from prós = to, toward + lambáno = to take) means literally to take to or toward. To take in addition to (Acts 17:5). It can mean to take hold of or grasp ( Acts 27.36). It can mean to take aside or lead off to oneself (can imply for privacy) (Mt 16:22, 20:17, Mk 8:32). Pr... Read More

Bearing fruit (2592) (karpophoreo from karpos = fruit, produce + phero = bear, bring) literally means to bring forth fruit, to be fertile, productive. It is used figuratively to refer to bringing forth deeds or works (fruit), which depending on the context can be good fruit or bad fruit (see verses ... Read More

Beloved (27) (agapetos from agapao = to love, agape = unconditional love borne by Spirit - Gal 5:22-) means beloved, dear, very much loved. Agapetos describes the love of another, this love being called out of the "giver's" heart by preciousness of the recipient of the love (the "beloved'). Agapetos... Read More

Bondservant (1401) (doulos from deo = to bind) (Click additional notes on doulos) was an individual bound to another in servitude and conveys the idea of the slave's close, binding ties with his master, belonging to him, obligated to and desiring to do his will and in a permanent relation of servitu... Read More