Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our beloved fellow worker,
Parallel translations
- WEB Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon, our beloved fellow worker,
- KJV Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy our brother, unto Philemon our dearly beloved, and fellowlabourer,
- NKJV Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our beloved friend and fellow laborer,
- NASB Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our beloved brother and fellow worker,
- NLT This letter is from Paul, a prisoner for preaching the Good News about Christ Jesus, and from our brother Timothy. I am writing to Philemon, our beloved co-worker,
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Paul, writing as a prisoner for Christ, addresses his friend Philemon along with Timothy. The greeting sets a warm, personal tone for this short, tender letter.
Overview
Paul calls himself a "prisoner of Christ Jesus" rather than of Rome, framing his imprisonment as service to his Lord. Philemon was a believer in Colossae whose runaway slave Onesimus had come to faith under Paul. By naming Philemon a "beloved fellow worker," Paul appeals to friendship and shared gospel labor rather than apostolic command, preparing the ground for a gracious request.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Eph 3:1For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles...
- Phlm 1:9I prefer to appeal on the basis of love. For I, Paul, am now aged, and a prisoner of Christ Jesus as well.
- Phil 2:25But I thought it necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger and minister to my needs.
- Col 1:1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,
- 1 Cor 3:9For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.
- Col 4:11Jesus, who is called Justus, also sends greetings. These are the only Jews among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me.
- 2 Tim 1:8So do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, or of me, His prisoner. Instead, join me in suffering for the gospel by the power of God.
- 2 Cor 1:1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the church of God in Corinth, together with all the saints throughout Achaia:
- 1 Th 3:2We sent Timothy, our brother and fellow worker for God in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith,
- Eph 4:1As a prisoner in the Lord, then, I urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling you have received:
- Phil 4:3Yes, and I ask you, my true yokefellow, to help these women who have labored with me for the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the Book of Life.
- 2 Th 1:1Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:
- Phlm 1:24as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.
- Eph 6:20for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it fearlessly, as I should.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
The plea to receive a runaway slave as a beloved brother, charging his debt to Paul's account, is a living picture of how Christ receives us and pays what we owe.
How Philemon 1:1 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.