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

7Your love ⌞for God’s people⌟ gives me a lot of joy and encouragement. You, brother, have comforted God’s people. 8Christ makes me bold enough to order you to do the right thing. However, I would prefer to make an appeal on the basis of love. I, Paul, as an old man and now a prisoner for Christ Jesus, 10appeal to you for my child Onesimus [Useful]. I became his spiritual father here in prison. 11Once he was useless to you, but now he is very useful to both of us.

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 12:1Brothers and sisters, in view of all we have just shared about God’s compassion, I encourage you to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, dedicated to God and pleasing to him. This kind of worship is appropriate for you.
• 2 Corinthians 5:20Therefore, we are Christ’s representatives, and through us God is calling you. We beg you on behalf of Christ to become reunited with God.
• 2 Corinthians 6:1Since we are God’s coworkers, we urge you not to let God’s kindness be wasted on you.
• Ephesians 4:1I, a prisoner in the Lord, encourage you to live the kind of life which proves that God has called you.
• Hebrews 13:19I especially ask for your prayers so that I may come back to you soon.
• 1 Peter 2:11Dear friends, since you are foreigners and temporary residents ⌞in the world⌟, I’m encouraging you to keep away from the desires of your corrupt nature. These desires constantly attack you.
• Psalms 71:9Do not reject me when I am old or abandon me when I lose my strength.
• Proverbs 16:31Silver hair is a beautiful crown found in a righteous life.
• Isaiah 46:4Even when you’re old, I’ll take care of you. Even when your hair turns gray, I’ll support you. I made you and will continue to care for you. I’ll support you and save you.
• Philemon 1:1From Paul, who is a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and our brother Timothy. To our dear coworker Philemon,
• Ephesians 3:1This is the reason I, Paul, am the prisoner of Christ Jesus for those of you who are not Jewish.

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