Passage

Paul’s appeal for Onesimus

Source and translation

World English Bible, Protestant Edition · Public domain · en

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¹⁰I appeal to you for my child Onesimus, whom I have become the father of in my chains,

Philemon 1:10World English Bible, Protestant Edition

The scene

Paul appeals for Onesimus, whom he calls his child and says he became the father of while in chains.

To understand

Paul describes himself as old and a prisoner of Jesus Christ, making his appeal for love’s sake. Onesimus, he says, was once useless to the reader and is now useful to both of them.

A question

How does Paul describe his relationship with Onesimus?