Philemon 1:16

Philemon 1:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Not 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?
• New International Version (NIV)no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother. He is very dear to me but even dearer to you, both as a fellow man and as a brother in the Lord.
• English Standard Version (ESV)no longer as a bondservant but more than a bondservant, as a beloved brother—especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.
• New King James Version (NKJV)no longer as a slave but more than a slave—a beloved brother, especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.

Context of Philemon 1:16

14But I did not want to do anything unless you agreed. I wanted you to help me because you really want to help. I did not want to make you do it. 15When Onesimus ran away from you, perhaps God let that happen. Onesimus left you for a short time so that you could now have him back for ever. You can have him back again not only as your slave. He will be something much better than a slave for you. He will be like a brother that you love. I love him very much. But now you will love him even more. He will serve you as a slave, but he will also serve the Lord, as you do. 17I am your friend. Together we serve God. If you agree with that, please be kind to Onesimus. Accept him in the same way that you would accept me. 18If Onesimus has done anything wrong to you, I will make it right again. If he took money from you, I will pay it back.

Philemon 1:16 word by word

οὐκέτι ὡς δοῦλον ἀλλ᾽ ὑπὲρ δοῦλον, ἀδελφὸν ἀγαπητόν, μάλιστα ἐμοί, πόσῳ δὲ μᾶλλον σοὶ καὶ ἐν σαρκὶ καὶ ἐν κυρίῳ;Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Not nowοὐκέτιouketi · not any moreG3765
• asὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
• a servantδοῦλοςdoulos · slaveG1401
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• aboveὑπέρhuper · above/forG5228
• a brotherἀδελφόςadelphos · brotherG80
• belovedἀγαπητόςagapētos · belovedG27
• speciallyμάλισταmalista · especiallyG3122
• to meἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• butδέde · thenG1161
• how muchπόσοςposos · how much/many?G4214
• moreμᾶλλονmallon · moreG3123
• unto theeσύsu · youG4771
• bothκαίkai · andG2532
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• the fleshσάρξsarx · fleshG4561
• the Lordκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962

Cross-references for Philemon 1:16

• Matthew 23:8You all belong to God's family. You have only one Teacher. So nobody should call another person, “Teacher”.
• Acts 9:17So Ananias went to Judas's house and he went inside. He put his hands on Saul and he said to him, ‘Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus himself has sent me here to you. It was Jesus that you saw on the road when you were coming here to Damascus. He has sent me to you so that you will be able to see again. God will also fill you with his Holy Spirit.’
• Galatians 4:28You, my Christian friends, are like Sarah's son, Isaac. Like him, you became God's children as a result of God's promise.
• 1 Timothy 6:2Slaves who have masters who are also believers must continue to respect them. As believers, the slave and his master are like brothers together. But that slave must not refuse to obey his master because of that. Instead, he should work even better for his master. He should do that because he loves his master as a believer. Teach these things and tell people to obey them.
• Hebrews 3:1So, Christian friends, think carefully about who Jesus is. Like us, God has chosen you to belong to him. We tell people that we believe in Jesus as the messenger that God has sent. He helps us as God's most important priest.
• 1 Peter 1:22You have obeyed God's true message. As a result, you have become clean inside, and now you can really love other believers. So continue to love each other very well, with honest thoughts.
• 1 John 5:1Everyone who believes that Jesus is God's Messiah has become a child of God. And if we love God, our Father, we will love his other children too.
• Ephesians 6:5You who are slaves, obey your human masters. Respect them and be afraid of them. Work well to help them, as if you were working for Christ as your master.
• Colossians 3:22Slaves, always obey your human masters. Do not do good work only when they can see you. Some people only work to make other people like them. Instead, serve your masters well because you want to. That will show that you respect the Lord as your master.

Commentaries on Philemon 1:16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16Not now as a servant? - Do not receive him merely as thy slave, nor treat him according to that condition; but as a brother - as a genuine Christian, and particularly dear to me. Both in the flesh and in the Lord? - There is no reason to believe that Onesimus was of the kindred of Philemon; and we must take the term flesh, here, as referring to the right which Philemon had in him. He was a part of his property and of his family; as a slave, this was his…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16Not now as a servant - The adverb rendered “not now” ( ̓́ ouketi), means “no more, no further, no longer.” It implies that he had been before in this condition, but was not to be now; compare Matthew 19:6, “They are no more twain.” They were once so, but they are not to be regarded as such now; Matthew 22:46, “Neither durst any man, from that day forth ask him any more questions.” They once did it, but now they did not dare to do it; Luke 15:19, “And am…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-22Verses 15-22 When we speak of the nature of any sin or offence against God, the evil of it is not to be lessened; but in a penitent sinner, as God covers it, so must we. Such changed characters often become a blessing to all among whom they reside. Christianity does not do away our duties to others, but directs to the right doing of them. True penitents will be open in owning their faults, as doubtless Onesimus had been to Paul, upon his being awakened…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16Even though Onesimus was still legally Philemon’s slave, Philemon should consider him a beloved brother and care for his well-being. both in person and in the Lord: They were spiritual brothers in Christ so this should now change their entire relationship in both the natural and spiritual worlds.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. No longer as a mere servant or slave (though still he is that), but above a servant, so that thou shalt derive from him not merely the services of a slave, but higher benefits: a servant "in the flesh," he is a brother "in the Lord." beloved, specially to me--who am his spiritual father, and who have experienced his faithful attentions. Lest Philemon should dislike Onesimus being called "brother," Paul first recognizes him as a brother, being the…Read the comment

In the dictionaries

• In the Lord
• Onesimus
• Flesh

Commentaries on Philemon 1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings