The Way
A Letter for Onesimus
From useless to useful
Story
A man named Onesimus came to Paul, who was a prisoner in Rome. He was a slave from the house of Philemon, of the church in Colossae, and he had been away from his master for some time. Through Paul in his chains, Onesimus came to faith. Paul wanted to keep him by his side, but he decided not to do anything without Philemon's consent. So he sent Onesimus back to his master with a short letter.
Paul wrote to Philemon, “Onesimus was once useless to you, but now he is useful both to you and to me. Welcome him now not as a slave but as a dear brother. If he owes you anything, charge it to me. I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand. I will pay it back.”
Paul also wrote letters to the churches in Colossae and Ephesus. In Colossians he wrote that in Christ there is no slave or free, and in Ephesians he wrote that we are saved by grace through faith. The letters were carried by Tychicus, a coworker from Asia. Onesimus went with him to Colossae. Paul introduced Onesimus to the church in Colossae like this: “Onesimus, our faithful and dear brother, who is one of you.”
Walk this scene on the map →Words of the Lord and of Paul
Welcome him now not as a slave, but as more than a slave: a dear brother.
If he has wronged you or owes you anything, charge it to me. I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand. I will pay it back.
You have been saved by grace through faith. This is not from yourselves; it is the gift of God.
Tychicus will tell you all my news. Onesimus, our faithful and dear brother, is coming with him.
The sayings are fresh renderings of the original meaning in today's language. Text: Phlm 1:1–25 · Col 4:7–9
Background
The name Onesimus means “useful” in Greek. Paul made a play on that name. Here we follow the old view that these three letters were written in Rome, though some think they were written in Ephesus.
Pause and Reflect
Am I keeping someone tied to their past wrongs?