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to keep him with me, that in your stead he might minister to me in the bonds of the Gospel. But without your consent I would do nothing; that your benefit should not be as it were of necessity, but voluntary. For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that you should receive him for ever; no longer as a slave, but above a slave, a beloved brother, especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh, and in the Lord. If you count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself. But if he has wronged you, or owes you anything, put that on my account. I, Paul, have written it with my own hand, I will repay it: not to say to you that you owe me even your own self. Yes, brother, let me have joy from you in the Lord. The Epistle is written on behalf of a slave, and one who had run away, and had even stolen, but had been benefited through the teaching of the Apostle. And many useful things are from it. One and first, that some should be zealous towards all. For if Paul shows so much zeal for a repentant runaway and thief, much more ought we not to be slothful concerning any of the brothers. Second, that one must not despair of the servant class, even if they have reached the extremity of wickedness. For the thief and runaway became so virtuous. Third, that it is not right to take slaves from their masters. For if Paul, having such confidence in Philemon, did not wish to keep Onesimus, who was so pleasing to him for ministry, against the master's will, much more ought we not to do this. For if the servant is admirable, for this reason especially it is fitting for him to remain in slavery, and to acknowledge his master's authority, so that he may be useful to all in the house. 95.1033 Refresh my heart in the Lord. Having confidence in your obedience I wrote to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say. At the same time, also prepare me a lodging. For I hope that through your prayers I shall be granted to you. Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you, as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow workers. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen. That is, give the grace to the Lord, not to me. To Philemon, written from Rome. Stichoi 42. All the stichoi, 5348.

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ἐμαυτὸν κατέχειν, ἵνα ὑπὲρ σοῦ διακονῇ μοι ἐν τοῖς δεσμοῖς τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου. Χωρὶς δὲ τῆς γνώμης οὐδὲν ἠθέλησα ποιῆσαι, ἵνα μὴ ὡς κατ' ἀνάγκην τὸ ἀγαθόν σου ᾖ, ἀλλὰ κατὰ ἑκούσιον. Τάχα γὰρ διὰ τοῦτο ἐχωρίσθη πρὸς ὥραν, ἵνα αἰώνιον αὐτὸν ἀπέχῃς, οὐκέτι ὡς δοῦλον, ἀλλ' ὑπὲρ δοῦλον, ἀδελφὸν ἀγαπητὸν, μάλιστα ἐμοὶ, πόσῳ δὲ μᾶλλον σοὶ, καὶ ἐν σαρκὶ, καὶ ἐν Κυρίῳ. Εἰ οὖν με ἔχεις κοινωνὸν, προσλαβοῦ αὐτὸν ὡς ἐμέ. Εἰ δέ τι ἠδίκησέ σε, ἢ ὀφείλει, τοῦτο ἐμοὶ ἐλλόγει. Ἐγὼ Παῦλος ἔγραψα τῇ ἐμῇ χειρὶ, ἐγὼ ἀποτίσω· ἵνα μὴ λέγω σοι, ὅτι καὶ ἑαυτόν μοι προσοφείλεις. Ναὶ, ἀδελφὲ, ἐγώ σοι ὀναίμην ἐν Κυρίῳ. Ὑπὲρ δούλου μὲν γράφεται ἡ Ἐπιστολὴ, καὶ ταῦτα ἀποδράσαντος, καὶ ἔτι καὶ κλέψαντος, ὠφεληθέντος δὲ διὰ τῆς διδασκαλίας τοῦ Ἀποστόλου. Πολλὰ δὲ καὶ ἐκ ταύτης τὰ χρήσιμα. Ἓν μὲν καὶ πρῶτον, τὸ σπουδαῖον εἶναί τινας πρὸς πάντας. Εἰ γὰρ Παῦλος ὑπὲρ δραπέτου καὶ κλέπτου μετανοοῦντος τοσαύτην ποιεῖται σπουδὴν, πολλῷ μᾶλλον οὔτε ἡμᾶς προσήκει ῥᾳθύμους εἶναι περί τινας τῶν ἀδελφῶν. ∆εύτερον, ὅτι τὸ δουλικὸν γένος οὐ δεῖ ἀπογινώσκειν, κἂν εἰς ἐσχάτην ἐλάσῃ κακίαν. Ὁ γὰρ κλέπτης καὶ δραπέτης οὕτω γέγονεν ἐνάρετος. Τρίτον, ὅτι τοὺς δούλους ἀποσπᾷν τῶν δεσπότων οὐ προσήκει. Εἰ γὰρ Παῦλος οὕτω θαῤῥῶν τῷ Φιλήμονι τὸν Ὀνήσιμον οὕτως εὐχάριστον αὐτῷ ὄντα πρὸς διακονίαν οὐκ ἠθέλησε κατασχεῖν παρὰ γνώμην τοῦ ∆εσπότου, πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἡμᾶς τοῦτο ποιεῖν οὐ χρή. Εἰ γὰρ θαυμαστός ἐστιν ὁ οἰκέτης, ταύτῃ μάλιστα πρέπει αὐτὸν ἐν τῇ δουλείᾳ μένειν, καὶ τὴν δεσποτείαν ἐπιγινώσκειν, ἵνα εὔχρηστος πᾶσι τοῖς ἐν οἰκίᾳ γένηται. 95.1033 Ἀνάπαυσόν μου τὰ σπλάγχνα ἐν Κυρίῳ. Πεποιθὼς τῇ ὑπακοῇ σου ἔγραψά σοι, εἰδὼς ὅτι καὶ ὑπὲρ ὃ λέγω ποιήσεις. Ἅμα δὲ καὶ ἑτοίμαζέ μοι ξενίαν. Ἐλπίζω γὰρ ὅτι διὰ τῶν προσευχῶν ὑμῶν χαρισθήσομαι ὑμῖν. Ἀσπάζονταί σε Ἐπαφρᾶς ὁ συναιχμάλωτός μου ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ, Μάρκος, Ἀρίσταρχος, ∆ημᾶς, Λουκᾶς, οἱ συνεργοί μου. Ἡ χάρις τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ μετὰ πνεύματος ὑμῶν. Ἀμήν. Τουτέστι, τῷ Κυρίῳ δίδοθι τὴν χάριν, οὐκ ἐμοί. Πρὸς Φιλήμονα ἐγράφη ἀπὸ Ῥώμης. Στίχοι μβʹ. Οἱ πάντες στίχοι, εγμηʹ.