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Revised Standard Version

Philemon 1:9

yet for love's sake I prefer to appeal to you--I, Paul, an ambassador and now a prisoner also for Christ Jesus--

Bible Study Resources

Dictionaries:

- The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Onesimus;   Philemon;  

Devotionals:

- Every Day Light - Devotion for April 5;  

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
But I am not commanding you; I am asking you to do it out of love. I, Paul, am an old man now, and I am a prisoner for Christ Jesus.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
yet for loves sake I rather beseche the though I be as I am eve Paul aged and now in bondes for Iesu Christes sake.
Hebrew Names Version
yet for love's sake I rather beg, being such a one as Sha'ul, the aged, and now a prisoner also of Messiah Yeshua.
New American Standard Bible
yet for love's sake I rather appeal to you—since I am such a person as Paul, an old man, and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus—
New Century Version
But because I love you, I am pleading with you instead. I, Paul, an old man now and also a prisoner for Christ Jesus,
Update Bible Version
yet for love's sake I rather urge, being such a one as Paul the aged, and now a prisoner also of Christ Jesus:
Webster's Bible Translation
Yet for love's sake I rather beseech [thee], being such one as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ.
English Standard Version
yet for love's sake I prefer to appeal to you—I, Paul, an old man and now a prisoner also for Christ Jesus—
World English Bible
yet for love's sake I rather beg, being such a one as Paul, the aged, and now a prisoner also of Christ Jesus.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Yet out of love I rather beseech thee, being such an one as Paul the aged, and now also the prisoner of Jesus Christ.
Weymouth's New Testament
it is for love's sake that--instead of that--although I am none other than Paul the aged, and am now also a prisoner for Christ Jesus,
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
but Y biseche more for charite, sithen thou art siche as the elde Poul, and now the boundun of Jhesu Crist.
English Revised Version
yet for love's sake I rather beseech, being such a one as Paul the aged, and now a prisoner also of Christ Jesus:
Berean Standard Bible
I prefer to appeal on the basis of love. For I, Paul, am now aged, and a prisoner of Christ Jesus as well.
Contemporary English Version
But I would rather ask you to do it simply because of love. Yes, as someone in jail for Christ,
Amplified Bible
yet for love's sake I prefer to appeal to you—since I am such a person as Paul, an old man, and now also a prisoner [for the sake] of Christ Jesus—
American Standard Version
yet for love's sake I rather beseech, being such a one as Paul the aged, and now a prisoner also of Christ Jesus:
Bible in Basic English
Still, because of love, in place of an order, I make a request to you, I, Paul, an old man and now a prisoner of Christ Jesus:
Complete Jewish Bible
But since I Sha'ul, am the kind of person I am, an old man and now for the Messiah Yeshua's sake a prisoner besides, I prefer to appeal to you on the basis of love.
Darby Translation
for love's sake I rather exhort, being such a one as Paul the aged, and now also prisoner of Jesus Christ.
International Standard Version
I prefer to make my appeal on the basis of love. I, Paul, as an old man and now a prisoner of Christ Jesus,[xr]
Etheridge Translation
but for love's sake entreating I entreat of thee, I, Paulos, who am the aged as thou knowest, but now also the bondman of Jeshu Meshiha.
Murdock Translation
But for love's sake, I earnestly beseech theeeven I, Paul, who am aged, as thou knowest, and now also a prisoner for Jesus the Messiah.
King James Version (1611)
Yet for loues sake I rather beseech thee, being such a one as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner of Iesus Christ.
New Living Translation
But because of our love, I prefer simply to ask you. Consider this as a request from me—Paul, an old man and now also a prisoner for the sake of Christ Jesus.
New Life Bible
But because I love you, I will only ask you. I am Paul, an old man, here in prison because of Jesus Christ.
New Revised Standard
yet I would rather appeal to you on the basis of love—and I, Paul, do this as an old man, and now also as a prisoner of Christ Jesus.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Yet for loues sake I rather beseeche thee, though I be as I am, euen Paul aged, and euen nowe a prisoner for Iesus Christ.
George Lamsa Translation
And for love''s sake I earnestly beseech you; even I, Paul, an old man as you know, and now also a prisoner for the sake of Jesus Christ.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Yet, for loves sake, I rather exhort, - being, such a one, as Paul the aged, now, also, even a prisoner of Christ Jesus, -
Douay-Rheims Bible
For charity sake I rather beseech, whereas thou art such a one, as Paul, an old man and now a prisoner also of Jesus Christ.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Yet for loues sake, I rather beseche thee, beyng such a one as Paul the aged, & nowe also a prisoner of Iesus Christe.
Good News Translation
But because I love you, I make a request instead. I do this even though I am Paul, the ambassador of Christ Jesus, and at present also a prisoner for his sake.
Christian Standard Bible®
I appeal to you, instead, on the basis of love. I, Paul, as an elderly man and now also as a prisoner of Christ Jesus,
King James Version
Yet for love's sake I rather beseech thee, being such an one as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ.
Lexham English Bible
instead I appeal to you because of love, since I am such a one as Paul, now an old man and also a prisoner of Christ Jesus.
Literal Translation
rather because of love I entreat, being such a one as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ;
Young's Literal Translation
because of the love I rather entreat, being such an one as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ;
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
yet for loues sake I rather beseke ye, though I be as I am, eue Paul aged, and now a presoner also of Iesu Christ.
Mace New Testament (1729)
I had rather apply to your benevolent temper, and desire you would regard the years of Paul, who am now also a prisoner for Jesus Christ,
New English Translation
I would rather appeal to you on the basis of love—I, Paul, an old man and even now a prisoner for the sake of Christ Jesus—
New King James Version
yet for love's sake I rather appeal to you--being such a one as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ--
Simplified Cowboy Version
but I'd rather show you the same kind of love you've shown me and just simply ask you. Consider it a simple request from a friend. I'm just an old friend who is out riding pastures and looking for strays for the sake of Christ.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
yet for love's sake I rather appeal to you —since I am such a person as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus—
Legacy Standard Bible
yet for love's sake I rather plead with you—since I am such a person as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus—

Contextual Overview

8 Accordingly, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do what is required, 9 yet for love's sake I prefer to appeal to you--I, Paul, an ambassador and now a prisoner also for Christ Jesus-- 10 I appeal to you for my child, Ones'imus, whose father I have become in my imprisonment. 11 (Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me.) 12 I am sending him back to you, sending my very heart. 13 I would have been glad to keep him with me, in order that he might serve me on your behalf during my imprisonment for the gospel; 14 but I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your goodness might not be by compulsion but of your own free will. 15 Perhaps this is why he was parted from you for a while, that you might have him back for ever, 16 no longer as a slave but more than a slave, as a beloved brother, especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord. 17 So if you consider me your partner, receive him as you would receive me.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

love's sake: Romans 12:1, 2 Corinthians 5:20, 2 Corinthians 6:1, Ephesians 4:1, Hebrews 13:19, 1 Peter 2:11

Paul: Psalms 71:9, Psalms 71:18, Proverbs 16:31, Isaiah 46:4

prisoner: Philemon 1:1, Ephesians 3:1, Ephesians 4:1

Reciprocal: Judges 21:22 - Be favourable unto them 2 Samuel 9:1 - show him 1 Chronicles 13:2 - If it seem Nehemiah 5:10 - I pray you Psalms 37:25 - I have Proverbs 23:24 - shall have Isaiah 11:6 - General Acts 15:2 - should Acts 16:23 - they cast Acts 21:16 - an old Acts 23:18 - Paul 1 Corinthians 1:10 - I beseech 2 Corinthians 10:1 - I Paul 2 Corinthians 11:23 - in prisons Galatians 5:2 - I Paul Philippians 4:3 - I 1 Thessalonians 2:6 - when 1 Thessalonians 2:18 - even 1 Thessalonians 4:1 - we 1 Timothy 5:1 - entreat Philemon 1:14 - without Hebrews 13:22 - suffer 1 Peter 5:1 - who

Cross-References

Genesis 1:1
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
Genesis 1:2
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.
Genesis 1:5
God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day.
Genesis 1:6
And God said, "Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters."
Genesis 1:8
And God called the firmament Heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, a second day.
Genesis 1:9
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.
Genesis 1:11
And God said, "Let the earth put forth vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, upon the earth." And it was so.
Genesis 1:28
And God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth."
Genesis 1:29
And God said, "Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food.
Job 26:7
He stretches out the north over the void, and hangs the earth upon nothing.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Yet for love's sake I rather beseech thee,.... Either for the sake of the great love which the apostle bore to Philemon, being, as he calls him, his dearly beloved, he took this method; or because of Philemon's great love to all the saints before mentioned, he was encouraged to proceed in this manner, hoping on that account to have success; or it may be, it was for the sake of that love with which God had loved him, and which he puts him in mind of, to engage him to grant his request; that seeing God the Father had loved him, and chosen him in Christ; and Christ had loved him, and redeemed him by his blood; and the Holy Spirit had loved him, and sanctified him by his grace, that therefore he would receive his servant again for the sake of this love; who also was the object of it; see Romans 15:30. The Alexandrian copy reads, "for", or "through necessity", as if necessity obliged him to this request.

Being such an one as Paul the aged; or "the elder"; meaning either in office, which he might mention with this view, that his request might have the greater weight and influence; or else in years, and which he might observe partly to move compassion in Philemon, and that he might not grieve him in his old age, as he would, should he deny his request; and partly to suggest to him, that the advice he was about to give him, to receive his servant, did not come from a raw young man, but from one well stricken in years, with whom were wisdom and understanding; and therefore not to be treated with neglect or contempt: how old the apostle was at this time, is not certain; he could not be less than sixty years of age, or he would not have called himself an old man; for no man was so called by the Jews, but he that was at the age of sixty b. Some editions of the Vulgate Latin version, as that of the London Polyglot Bible, read, "seeing thou art such an one as Paul the aged"; as if Philemon was an old man, as the apostle was, and therefore he would not lay his commands upon him, as an ancient man might upon a young man, but rather entreat him as equal to him in years: but then it follows, which does not appear to be true of Philemon, or that he was in the like case,

and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ; which is observed with the same view as in Philemon 1:1.

Philemon 1:1- :.

b Pirke Abot, c. 5. sect. 1.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Yet for love’s sake - For the love which you bear me, and for the common cause.

I rather beseech thee - Rather than command thee.

Being such an one as Paul the aged - πρεσβυτης presbutēs - an old man. We have no means of ascertaining the exact age of Paul at this time, and I do not recollect that he ever alludes to his age, though he often does to his infirmities, in any place except here. Doddridge supposes that at the time when Stephen was stoned, when he is called “a young man” (νεανίας neanias, Acts 7:58), he was 24 years of age, in which case he would now have been about 53. Chrysostom supposes that he may have been 35 years old at the time of his conversion, which would have made him about 63 at this time. The difficulty of determining with any degree of accuracy the age of the apostle at this time, arises from the indefinite nature of the word used by Luke, Acts 7:58, and rendered “a young man.” That word, like the corresponding word νεανίσκος neaniskos, was applied to men in the vigor of manhood up to the age of 40 years.

Robinson, Lex. Phavorinus says a man is called νεανίσκος neaniskos, a young man, until he is 28; and πρεσβύτης presbutēs, presbutēs, from 49 until he is 56. Varro says that a man is young (“juvenis”), until he is 45, and aged at 60. Whitby. These periods of time, however, are very indefinite, but it will accord well with the usual meaning of the words to suppose that Paul was in the neighborhood of 30 when he was converted, and that he was now not far from 60. We are to remember also, that the constitution of Paul may have been much broken by his labors, his perils, and his trials. Not advanced probably to the usual limit of human life, he may have had all the characteristics of a very aged man; compare the note of Benson. The argument here is, that we feel that it is proper, as far as we can, to grant the request of an old man. Paul thus felt that it was reasonable to suppose that Philemon would not refuse to gratify the wishes of an aged servant of Christ, who had spent the vigor of his life in the service of their common Master. It should be a very strong case when we refuse to gratify the wishes of an aged Christian in anything, especially if he has rendered important services to the church and the world.

And now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ - In the cause of Jesus Christ; or a prisoner for endeavoring to make him known to the world; compare the Ephesians 3:1; Ephesians 4:1; Ephesians 6:20 notes; Colossians 4:10 note. The argument here is, that it might be presumed that Philemon would not refuse the request of one who was suffering in prison on account of their common religion. For such a prisoner we should be ready to do all that we can to mitigate the sorrows of his confinement, and to make his condition comfortable.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Philemon 1:9. Paul the aged — If we allow St. Paul to have been about 25 years of age at the utmost, in the year 31, when he was assisting at the martyrdom of Stephen, Acts 7:58; as this epistle was written about A. D. 62, he could not have been at this time more than about 56 years old. This could not constitute him an aged man in our sense of the term; yet, when the whole length of his life is taken in, being martyred about four years after this, he may not improperly be considered an aged or elderly man, though it is generally allowed that his martyrdom took place in the 66th year of our Lord.

But the word πρεσβυς signifies, not only an old man, but also an ambassador; because old or elderly men were chosen to fulfil such an office, because of their experience and solidity; and πρεσβυτης, for πρεσβευτης, is used in the same sense and for the same reason by the Septuagint; hence some have thought that we should translate here, Paul the ambassador. This would agree very well with the scope and even the design of the place.


 
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