Philemon 1:18

He did not say: stole, but more gently: "wronged, or owes anything." It is likely that he had spent what was stolen. Therefore he says: charge it to my account, consider me the debtor.

If he hath wronged thee,.... By squandering away his time, spoiling his work, or corrupting his fellow servants: or oweth thee ought; by embezzling his master's goods, robbing him of his money, and running away from his service: put that on mine account; Signifying that he would be answerable for all, and make good all debts and damages.

On the other hand he calls them his children, of whom he travailed again, till Christ was formed in them, that is, the likeness of Christ more fully. 8 , We were willing to have imparted to you not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because you were dear unto us. By way of allusion, this may illustrate Christ's undertaking for us.

If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee aught - Had the apostle been assured that Onesimus had robbed his master, he certainly would not have spoken in this hypothetical way; he only puts a possible case: If he have wronged thee, or owe thee aught, place all to my account; I will discharge all he owes thee.

Greek, "But it (thou art not inclined to 'receive him' because) he hath wronged thee"; a milder term than "robbed thee." Onesimus seems to have confessed some such act to Paul. put that on mine account--I am ready to make good the loss to thee if required.

If he hath wronged thee - Either by escaping from you, or by failing to perform what he had agreed to, or by unfaithfulness when he was with you as a servant, or by taking your property when he went away. Any of these methods would meet all that is said here, and it is impossible to determine in which of them he had done Philemon wrong. It may be observed, however, that the apostle evinces much delicacy in this matter. He does not say that he had wronged him, but he makes a supposition that he might have done it. Doubtless, Philemon would suppose that he had done it, even if he had done no more than to escape from him, and, whatever Paul’s views of that might be, he says that even if it were so, he would wish him to set that over to his account. He took the blame on himself, and asked Philemon not to remember it against Onesimus. Or oweth thee ought - It appears from this, that Onesimus, whatever may have been his former condition, was capable of holding property, and of contracting debts. It is possible that he might have borrowed money of Philemon, or he may have been regarded as a tenant, and may not have paid the rent of his farm, or the apostle may mean that he had owed him service which he had not performed. Conjecture is useless as to the way in which the debt had been contracted. Put that on mine account - Reckon, or impute that to me - εμοὶ ἐλλόγα emoi elloga. This word occurs nowhere else in the New Testament, except in Rom 5:13, where it is rendered imputed. See the notes at that passage. It means to “reckon;” to put to one’s account, to wit, what properly belongs to him, or what he assumes. It never implies that that is to be charged on one which does not properly belong to him, either as his own act, or as that which he has assumed. […]