English Standard Version
Philemon 1:11
11(Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me.)
Philemon 1:11 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me:
- New International Version (NIV)Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.
- New King James Version (NKJV)who once was unprofitable to you, but now is profitable to you and to me.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Onesimus hasn’t been of much use to you in the past, but now he is very useful to both of us.
Context of Philemon 1:11
9yet for love's sake I prefer to appeal to you—I, Paul, an old man and now a prisoner also for Christ Jesus— 10I appeal to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I became in my imprisonment. (Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me.) 12I am sending him back to you, sending my very heart. 13I would have been glad to keep him with me, in order that he might serve me on your behalf during my imprisonment for the gospel,
Read all of Philemon 1Philemon 1:11 word by word
τόν ποτέ σοι ἄχρηστον νυνὶ δὲ καὶ σοὶ καὶ ἐμοὶ εὔχρηστον,Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Philemon 1:11
- Job 30:1"But now they laugh at me, men who are younger than I, whose fathers I would have disdained to set with the dogs of my flock.
- Matthew 25:30And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'
- Luke 17:10So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.'"
- Romans 3:12All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one."
- 1 Peter 2:10Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
- Luke 15:24For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.' And they began to celebrate.
- 2 Timothy 4:11Luke alone is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is very useful to me for ministry.
Commentaries on Philemon 1:11
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 11Was to thee unprofitable - Alluding to the meaning of Onesimus's name, as has been already noted; though the apostle uses a different Greek word to express the same idea.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 11Which in time past was to thee unprofitable - Either because he was indolent; because he had wronged him (compare the notes at Philemon 1:18), or because he had run away from him. It is possible that there may be an allusion here to the meaning of the name “Onesimus,” which denotes “profitable” (from ̓́ oninēmifuture ̓́ onēsōto be useful, to be profitable, to help), and that Paul means to say that he had hitherto not well answered to the meaning of his…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. 11Onesimus means “useful.” Formerly he was useless, but now he has become useful: This might be a play on words (compare 1:20). Onesimus was now serving others and sharing the good news about Jesus. At last he had become what his name means.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1111. Which ... was ... unprofitable--belying his name Onesimus, which means "profitable." Not only was he "unprofitable," but positively injurious, having "wronged" his master. Paul uses a mild expression. now profitable--Without godliness a man has no station. Profitable in spiritual, as well as in temporal things.Read the comment
In the dictionaries
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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries