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Revised Standard Version
Philemon 1:14
Bible Study Resources
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But I did not want to do anything without asking you first. Then whatever you do for me will be what you want to do, not what I forced you to do.
Neverthelesse without thy mynde wolde I doo nothinge that yt good which springeth of the shuld not be as it were of necessitie but willingly.
But I was willing to do nothing without your consent, that your goodness would not be as of necessity, but of free will.
but I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that your goodness would not be, in effect, by compulsion, but of your own free will.
But I did not want to do anything without asking you first so that any good you do for me will be because you want to do it, not because I forced you.
but without your mind I would do nothing; that your goodness should not be as of necessity, but of free will.
But without thy mind I would do nothing; that thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly.
but I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your goodness might not be by compulsion but of your own accord.
But I was willing to do nothing without your consent, that your goodness would not be as of necessity, but of free will.
But I would do nothing without thy consent; that thy good deed might not be, as it were, by constraint, but willingly.
Only I wished to do nothing without your consent, so that his kind action of yours might not be done under pressure, but might be a voluntary one.
but with out thi counseil Y wolde not do ony thing, that thi good schulde not be as of nede, but wilful.
but without thy mind I would do nothing; that thy goodness should not be as of necessity, but of free will.
But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that your goodness will not be out of compulsion, but by your own free will.
But I won't do anything unless you agree to it first. I want your act of kindness to come from your heart, and not be something you feel forced to do.
but I did not want to do anything without first getting your consent, so that your goodness would not be, in effect, by compulsion but of your own free will.
but without thy mind I would do nothing; that thy goodness should not be as of necessity, but of free will.
But without your approval I would do nothing; so that your good works might not be forced, but done freely from your heart.
But I didn't want to do anything without your consent, so that the good you do for me may be voluntary and not forced.
but I have wished to do nothing without thy mind, that thy good might not be as of necessity but of willingness:
Yet I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that your good deed might not be something forced, but voluntary.2 Corinthians 9:7;">[xr]
but without thy counsel I was not willing to do any thing, that thy goodness might not be as by constraint, but of thy will.
But I would do nothing without consulting thee; lest thy benefit should be as if by compulsion, and not with thy pleasure.
But without thy minde would I doe nothing, that thy benefite should not bee as it were of necessitie, but willingly.
But I didn't want to do anything without your consent. I wanted you to help because you were willing, not because you were forced.
But I did not want to keep him without word from you. I did not want you to be kind to me because you had to but because you wanted to.
but I preferred to do nothing without your consent, in order that your good deed might be voluntary and not something forced.
But without thy minde woulde I doe nothing, that thy benefite should not be as it were of necessitie, but willingly.
But I did not wish to do anything without consulting you, that your good deeds might not be done as though by compulsion, but of your own desire.
But, apart from thy mind, I wished to do, nothing, that, not as by necessity, thy goodness should be, but, by choice.
But without thy counsel I would do nothing: that thy good deed might not be as it were of necessity, but voluntary.
But without thy mynde woulde I do nothyng, that thy benefite shoulde not be as it were of necessitie, but willingly.
However, I do not want to force you to help me; rather, I would like for you to do it of your own free will. So I will not do anything unless you agree.
But I didn’t want to do anything without your consent, so that your good deed might not be out of obligation, but of your own free will.
But without thy mind would I do nothing; that thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly.
But apart from your consent, I wanted to do nothing, in order that your good deed might be not as according to necessity, but according to your own free will.
But I was willing to do nothing without your consent, that your good might not be by way of necessity, but by way of willingness.
and apart from thy mind I willed to do nothing, that as of necessity thy good deed may not be, but of willingness,
Neuertheles without thy mynde wolde I do nothinge, that ye good which thou doest, shulde not be of compulsion, but wyllingly.
but I would not do any thing without your consent; that your benefaction might not appear any ways forc'd, but perfectly voluntary.
However, without your consent I did not want to do anything, so that your good deed would not be out of compulsion, but from your own willingness.
But without your consent I wanted to do nothing, that your good deed might not be by compulsion, as it were, but voluntary.
But I didn't ask you first so I'm sending him back. I really do want your help, but not if you didn't have a choice in the matter.
but without your consent I did not want to do anything, so that your goodness would not be, in effect, by compulsion but of your own free will.
but without your consent I did not want to do anything, so that your goodness would not be, in effect, by compulsion but voluntary.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
without: Philemon 1:8, Philemon 1:9, 2 Corinthians 1:24, 1 Peter 5:3
thy benefit: 1 Chronicles 29:17, Psalms 110:3, 1 Corinthians 9:7, 1 Corinthians 9:17, 2 Corinthians 8:12, 2 Corinthians 9:5, 2 Corinthians 9:7, 1 Peter 5:2
Reciprocal: Judges 5:2 - when 2 Kings 8:9 - Thy son Benhadad Acts 5:4 - was it not thine 2 Corinthians 8:3 - beyond 1 Peter 4:9 - without
Cross-References
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
The earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep; and the Spirit of God was moving over the face of the waters.
And God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light.
And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness.
And God said, "Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters."
And God made the firmament and separated the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament. And it was so.
And God called the firmament Heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, a second day.
And God said, "Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear." And it was so.
The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
And God said, "Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to separate the day from the night; and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years,
Gill's Notes on the Bible
But without thy mind would I do nothing,.... Which shows great modesty and humility in the apostle, that though as such he had an authority, which he could have used, as well as had understanding and judgment how to have used it without consulting Philemon, or having his sense of this affair, yet chose to consult him: and it also shows the strict regard the apostle had to equity and justice, that he would do nothing with another man's servant without his consent; he would not seem to alienate, or engross another man's right and property, whatever power he might have, as an apostle, to have retained Onesimus as a minister to him.
That thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly; that is, that his goodness in forgiving his servant, and renouncing all claim and property in him, and admitting him to continue in the service of the apostle, might not look like a forced thing; but that it might appear to be a voluntary action, when he should of himself return him, after he had been thus sent to him, and received by him.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
But without thy mind would I do nothing - Nothing in the matter referred to. He would not retain Onesimus in his service, much as he needed his assistance, without the cordial consent of Philemon. He would not give him occasion for hard feeling or complaint, as if Paul had induced him to leave his master, or as if he persuaded him to remain with him when he wished to return - or as if he kept him away from him when he owed him or had wronged him. All that is said here is entirely consistent with the supposition that Onesimus was disposed to return to his master, and with the supposition that Paul did not compel or urge him to do it. For it is probable that if Onesimus had proposed to return, it would have been easy for Paul to have retained him with him. He might have represented his own want of a friend. He might have appealed to his gratitude on account of his efforts for his conversion.
He might have shown him that he was under no moral obligation to go back. He might have refused to give him this letter, and might have so represented to him the dangers of the way, and the probability of a harsh reception, as effectually to have dissuaded him from such a purpose. But, in that case, it is clear that this might have caused hard feeling in the bosom of Philemon, and rather than do that he preferred to let him return to his master, and to plead for him that he might have a kind reception. It is, therefore, by no means necessary to suppose that Paul felt that Onesimus was under obligation to return, or that he was disposed to compel him, or that Onesimus was not inclined to return voluntarily; but all the cirumstances of the case are met by the supposition that, if Paul retained him, Philemon might conceive that he had injured him. Suppose, as seems to have been the case, that Onesimus âowedâ Philemon Philemon 1:18, and then suppose that Paul had chosen to retain him with himself, and had dissuaded him from returning to him, would not Philemon have had reason to complain of it?
There was, therefore, on every account, great propriety in his saying that he did not wish to use any influence over him to retain him with him when he purposed to return to Colosse, and that he felt that it would be wrong for him to keep him, much as he needed him, without the consent of Philemon. Nor is it necessary, by what is said here, to suppose that Onesimus was a slave, and that Paul believed that Philemon had a right to him and to his services as such. All that he says here would be met by the supposition that he was a hired servant, and would be in fact equally proper even on the supposition that he was an apprentice. In either case, he would feel that he gave just ground of complaint on the part of Philemon if, when Onesimus desired to return, he used any influence to dissuade him from it, and to retain him with himself. It would have been a violation of the rule requiring us to do to others as we would wish them to do unto us, and Paul therefore felt unwilling, much as he needed the services of Onesimus, to make use of any influence to retain him with him without the consent of his master.
That thy benefit - The favor which I might receive from thee by having the services of Onesimus. If Onesimus should remain with him and assist him, he would feel that the benefit which would be conferred by his services would be in fact bestowed by Philemon, for he had a right to the service of Onesimus, and, while Paul enjoyed it, he would be deprived of it. The word rendered âbenefitâ here - αÌγαθοÌν agathon - means good, and the sense is, âthe good which you would do me;â to wit, by the service of Onesimus.
Should not be as it were of necessity - As it would be it Paul should detain Onesimus with him without affording Philemon an opportunity of expressing his assent. Paul would even then have felt that he was in fact receiving a âgoodâ at the expense of Philemon, but it would not be a voluntary favor on his part.
But willingly - As it would be if he had given his consent that Onesimus should remain with him.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Philemon 1:14. That thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity — If the apostle had kept Onesimus in his service, and written to Philemon to forgive him and permit him to stay, to this it is probable he would have agreed; but the benefit thus conceded might have lost much of its real worth by the consideration that, had he been at Colosse, Philemon would not have sent him to Rome; but, being there and in the apostle's service, he could not with propriety order him home: thus the benefit to the apostle would have appeared to have been of necessity. The apostle, therefore, by sending him back again, gave Philemon the opportunity to do all as if self-moved to it. This is a very delicate touch.
