Philemon 1:9

Philemon 1:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Yet for love’s sake I rather beseech thee, being such an one as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ.
• New International Version (NIV)yet I prefer to appeal to you on the basis of love. It is as none other than Paul—an old man and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus—
• English Standard Version (ESV)yet for love's sake I prefer to appeal to you—I, Paul, an old man and now a prisoner also for Christ Jesus—
• New King James Version (NKJV)yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you—being such a one as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ—

Context of Philemon 1:9

7My friend, you have helped God's people to feel stronger. Your love for them has made me very happy. It makes me feel stronger too. 8I want to ask you to do something. I am sure that Christ has given me authority. So I could tell you strongly what you should do. But instead, because of love, I will ask you, ‘Please do it.’ I, Paul, am an old man. Also, I am in prison now because I serve Christ Jesus. 10So I am asking you to help Onesimus, who is like my own child. I taught him about Jesus while I was in prison. Because of that, he now has life with God. I am like his father. 11Before he trusted Jesus, Onesimus did not really help you. But now he can help both you and me.

Philemon 1:9 word by word

διὰ τὴν ἀγάπην μᾶλλον παρακαλῶ, τοιοῦτος ὢν ὡς Παῦλος πρεσβύτης νυνὶ δὲ καὶ δέσμιος Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• forδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
• love’sὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• love’sἀγάπηagapē · loveG26
• Iπαρακαλέωparakaleō · to plead/comfortG3870
• ratherμᾶλλονmallon · more: ratherG3123
• beingεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• such an oneτοιοῦτοςtoioutos · such as thisG5108
• asὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
• PaulΠαῦλοςPaulos · PaulG3972
• the agedπρεσβύτηςpresbutēs · old manG4246
• andδέde · thenG1161
• nowνυνίnuni · nowG3570
• alsoκαίkai · andG2532
• a prisonerδέσμιοςdesmios · prisonerG1198
• of JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
• ChristΧριστόςChristos · ChristG5547

Cross-references for Philemon 1:9

• Romans 12:1My Christian friends, God has been very kind to us. Because of that, I really want you to serve God with your whole life. Offer your bodies to him like a sacrifice that continues to live. Serve him with everything that you have and that will please him. That is the true way to worship God.
• 2 Corinthians 5:20So we speak to people on behalf of Christ. It is like this: When we speak, God himself is speaking to you. On behalf of Christ, we say to you, ‘Please come back to God, as his friends!’
• 2 Corinthians 6:1So, as we work together with God, we tell you to be careful. Remember that God has been very kind and he has forgiven you. Do not waste that!
• Ephesians 4:1Because I serve the Lord, I am here in prison. I really want you to live as God's own people should live. God has called you to come to him. He has chosen you to be his own people.
• Hebrews 13:19The most important thing is this: Pray that I may come back to you soon.
• 1 Peter 2:11My friends, remember that you are really strangers in this world. You do not belong here. So I am telling you not to do the bad things that your bodies may want to do. Those bad things fight against what is good for your soul.
• Psalms 71:9Do not chase me away when I am old. When I am no longer strong, do not turn away from me.
• Proverbs 16:31Grey hair is like a beautiful crown on your head! People who live in a righteous way may wear it.
• Isaiah 46:4I will continue to take care of you until you are old, until your hair becomes grey. I made you who you are, and I will supply everything that you need. I will carry you, and I will save you.
• Philemon 1:1This letter is from me, Paul. I am in prison because I serve Christ Jesus. Our Christian friend Timothy is here with me. We are writing to you, Philemon. You are our friend, and we love you. You work on behalf of Christ, as we do.
• Ephesians 3:1That is why I pray for you. I, Paul, am in prison because I serve Christ Jesus. He has sent me to help you Gentiles.

Commentaries on Philemon 1:9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9Paul the aged - If we allow St. Paul to have been about 25 years of age at the utmost, in the year 31, when he was assisting at the martyrdom of Stephen, Acts 7:58; as this epistle was written about a.d. 62, he could not have been at this time more than about 56 years old. This could not constitute him an aged man in our sense of the term; yet, when the whole length of his life is taken in, being martyred about four years after this, he may not improperly…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9Yet for love‘s sake - For the love which you bear me, and for the common cause. I rather beseech thee - Rather than command thee. Being such an one as Paul the aged - presbutēs- an old man. We have no means of ascertaining the exact age of Paul at this time, and I do not recollect that he ever alludes to his age, though he often does to his infirmities, in any place except here. Doddridge supposes that at the time when Stephen was stoned, when he is…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 8-14Verses 8-14 It does not lower any one to condescend, and sometimes even to beseech, where, in strictness of right, we might command: the apostle argues from love, rather than authority, in behalf of one converted through his means; and this was Onesimus. In allusion to that name, which signifies "profitable," the apostle allows that in time past he had been unprofitable to Philemon, but hastens to mention the change by which he had become profitable…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8-9The apostle Paul asked for a favor because Philemon was well-known as a kind and loving person (1:5–7). Paul could have used his authority as an apostle of Christ to demand it, but he chose to ask out of love. I, Paul, am now aged: Paul appealed to the respect owed to older people and his status as a prisoner for Christ Jesus, which would increase a fellow Christian’s respect.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. for love's sake--mine to thee, and (what ought to be) thine to Onesimus. Or, that Christian love of which thou showest so bright an example (Phm 7). being such an one--Explain, Being such a one as thou knowest me to be, namely, Paul--the founder of so many churches, and an apostle of Christ, and thy father in the faith. the aged--a circumstance calculated to secure thy respect for anything I request. and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ--the…Read the comment

In the dictionaries

• Christ
• Jesus
• Paul
• Christ, Messiah
• Jesus, Jesus Christ, Christ Jesus
• Paul, Saul
• Jesus Christ
• Age; Old Age
• Paul, the Apostle

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