Philemon 1:13
in Philemon 1I would have liked to keep him with me, so that on your behalf he could minister to me in my chains for the gospel.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
whom I would fain have kept with me, that in thy behalf he might minister unto me in the bonds of the gospel:
KJV
Whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel:
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This verse in Philemon 1
Commentary
12 notes on this verseAnd at the same time we admire the magnanimity of the apostle and his fervent mind in Christ. He is held in prison, is bound in chains, is oppressed by the filth of his body, by separation from his loved ones, is cramped by penal darkness, and yet he feels no wrong, he is not tortured by pain, he knows nothing else but to think about the Gospel of Christ. He knew the slave, he knew the fugitive, he knew that he had been converted to the faith of Christ by a kidnapper.
This site's exposition
I would have liked to keep him with me
on Philemon 1:13-16
Paul would keep Onesimus only with Philemon's consent. Perhaps he was separated from you for a while, so that you might have him back for good. He returns no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a beloved brother.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
"so that he might serve me in the chains of the gospel on your behalf". Do you see that Paul has brought the master to the very place, little by little? For he says that "he serves me on your behalf". Here he shows that …
Paul indicates that had he kept Onesimus, the result would have been that he could serve Paul as an extension of Philemon's service and thus have been a source of gain for Philemon.
Dost thou see after how much previous preparation, he has at length brought him honorably before his master, and observe with how much wisdom he has done this. See for how much he makes him answerable, and how much he honors the other. Thou hast found, he says, a way by which thou mayest through him repay thy service to me. Here he shows that he has considered his advantage more than that of his slave, and that he respects him exceedingly.
The Medieval Church2 voices
And he responds to a question, because it might be said if he is useful to you, why do you not keep him unto death? And he gives the reason for sending him back. First, he considers why he might keep him; second, why he …
Pay attention to the wisdom of the apostle, how he gradually placed him (the servant) in the position of the master. "That in thy stead," he says, "he might minister unto me." He also shows that he desires the benefit of the master. If, he …
5 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Observe, Good deeds are most acceptable to God and man when done with most freedom. And Paul herein, notwithstanding his apostolical power, would show what regard he had to civil rights, which Christianity does by no means supersede or weaken, but rather confirm and strengthen.
Whom I would have retained with me,.... At Rome, where the apostle was a prisoner: that in thy stead he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the Gospel; the apostle was in bonds, not for any crime, for any immorality he had been guilty of, but for the sake of the Gospel, for professing and preaching that; for this he was an ambassador in bonds, as he elsewhere says, Eph 6:
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead - “That he might render me the service which I know you would if you were here.” The Greek is: “for thee” ὑπὲρ σοῦ huper sou; that is, what he should do for Paul might be regarded as done by Philemon himself. He might have ministered unto me - He might have rendered me assistance (διακονῇ diakonē); to wit, in such a way as one who was in bonds would need.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
I would have retained--different Greek from the "would," Phm 14, "I could have wished," "I was minded" here; but "I was not willing," Phm 14. in thy stead--that he might supply in your place all the services to me which you, if you were here, would render in virtue of the love you bear to me (Phm 19). bonds of the gospel--my bonds endured for the Gospel's sake (Phm 9).
That in thy stead he might have ministered unto me - As Philemon was one of Paul’s converts, he became thereby his spiritual father, and had a right to his services when in need. This was a strong argument, not only to induce Philemon to forgive his servant, but to send him back to the apostle, that he might minister to him in his master’s stead.
The words behind it
16 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ὃν | hon | whom | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| ἐγὼ | ego | I myself | G1473 → | 839 times |
| ἐβουλόμην | eboulomen | was wishing | G1014 → | |
| πρὸς | pros | with | G4314 → | 700 times |
| ἐμαυτὸν | emauton | myself | G1473 → | 839 times |
| κατέχειν, | katechein | to keep, | G2722 → | |
| ἵνα | ina | so that | G2443 → | 668 times |
| ὑπὲρ | huper | on behalf of | G5228 → | 155 times |
| σοῦ | sou | you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| μοι | moi | me | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| διακονῇ | diakonea | he may serve | G1247 → | |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| τοῖς | tois | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| δεσμοῖς | desmois | chains | G1199 → | |
| τοῦ | tou | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| εὐαγγελίου· | euangeliou | gospel; | G2098 → |
ὃνwhom
honG3739 →1405 times
ἐγὼI myself
egoG1473 →839 times
ἐβουλόμηνwas wishing
eboulomenG1014 →
πρὸςwith
prosG4314 →700 times
ἐμαυτὸνmyself
emautonG1473 →839 times
κατέχειν,to keep,
katecheinG2722 →
ἵναso that
inaG2443 →668 times
ὑπὲρon behalf of
huperG5228 →155 times
σοῦyou
souG4771 →2973 times
μοιme
moiG3165 →1936 times
διακονῇhe may serve
diakoneaG1247 →
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
τοῖςthe
toisG3588 →19766 times
δεσμοῖςchains
desmoisG1199 →
τοῦof the
touG3588 →19766 times
εὐαγγελίου·gospel;
euangeliouG2098 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Ephesians 4:1As a prisoner in the Lord, then, I urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling you have received:
it leads to
- Colossians 1:10
so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,
- Philippians 1:27
Nevertheless, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm…
- 1 Thessalonians 2:12
encouraging you, comforting you, and urging you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.
- 1 Thessalonians 4:1–2
Finally, brothers, we ask and encourage you in the Lord Jesus to live in a way that is pleasing to God, just as you have received from us. This is how you already live,…
- 2 Peter 1:3
His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.
- Colossians 1:10
Through
Philippians 1:7It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart. For in my chains and in my defense and confirmation of the gospel, you…
it leads to
- 2 Corinthians 7:3
I do not say this to condemn you. I have said before that you so occupy our hearts that we live and die together with you.
- Philippians 1:5
because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now,
- 2 Corinthians 7:3
Through
Ephesians 3:1For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles...
it leads to
- Colossians 1:24
Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions for the sake of His body, which is the church.
- Colossians 1:24
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Philemon

This page draws on 12 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); J. B. Lightfoot, Saint Paul's Epistles to the Colossians and to Philemon; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Philemon; John Chrysostom, Homily on Philemon 2; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, COMMENTARY ON PHILEMON; Theodore of Mopsuestia, COMMENTARY ON PHILEMON; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Philemon and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Philemon.
