KJVWhom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel:
whom I would fain have kept with me, that in thy behalf he might minister unto me in the bonds of the gospel:
I would have liked to keep him with me, so that on your behalf he could minister to me in my chains for the gospel.
whom I did wish to retain to myself, that in thy behalf he might minister to me in the bonds of the good news,
whom I was desirous of keeping with myself, that for thee he might minister to me in the bonds of the glad tidings;
Philemon — Apostolic writings (New Testament).
1. A prisoner of Jesus Christ. In the same sense in which he elsewhere calls himself an Apostle of Christ, or a minister of Christ, he now calls himself "a prisoner of Christ;" because the chains by which he was bound on account of the gospel, were the ornaments or…