The Meaning of Philemon 1:15 Explained

Philemon 1:15

KJV: For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him for ever;

YLT: for perhaps because of this he did depart for an hour, that age-duringly thou mayest have him,

Darby: for perhaps for this reason he has been separated from thee for a time, that thou mightest possess him fully for ever;

ASV: For perhaps he was therefore parted from thee for a season, that thou shouldest have him for ever;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For  perhaps  he  therefore  departed  for  a season,  that  thou shouldest receive  him  for ever; 

What does Philemon 1:15 Mean?

Context Summary

Philemon 1:15-25 - To Be Received As A Brother
The Apostle's pleas for the restoration of Onesimus to his old trusted position in the household of Philemon are very touching. He suggests, first, that there may have been a divine purpose in it all, and that the former's flight had been permitted as a step in the entire renovation of the slave's nature. And, therefore, because Philemon and Onesimus were two Christians, their relationship had been transformed. "In the flesh, Philemon has the brother for his slave; in the Lord, Philemon has the slave for his brother." Then in Philemon 1:17 Paul identifies himself with Onesimus; and we are taught to think of our Lord identifying Himself with us, because, as Luther says, "we are all Onesimuses." Further, in Philemon 1:18 Paul offers to assume all the losses which Onesimus had brought on Philemon, and signs the bond with his autograph, as our Lord paid the great ransom price for us all. Finally, Paul delicately reminds his friend, in Philemon 1:19, that Philemon owed him a great deal more than a trifle of money, namely, his spiritual life. Does not our Lord address us in similar terms? We surely owe ourselves to Him!
Owing to the brevity of this Epistle Review Questions are omitted [source]

Chapter Summary: Philemon 1

1  Paul rejoices to hear of the faith and love of Philemon,
8  whom he desires to forgive his servant Onesimus, and lovingly to receive him again

Greek Commentary for Philemon 1:15

Perhaps [ταχα]
Old adverb, in N.T. only here and Romans 5:7. [source]
That thou shouldst have him [ινα αυτον απεχηις]
Final clause with ινα — hina and present active subjunctive of απεχω — apechō to have back, “that thou might keep on having him back.” For ever (αιωνιον — aiōnion). “Eternal,” here and hereafter. Surely a noble thing for Paul to say and a word that would touch the best in Philemon. [source]
For ever [αιωνιον]
“Eternal,” here and hereafter. Surely a noble thing for Paul to say and a word that would touch the best in Philemon. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Philemon 1:15

Romans 10:1 My heart's desire [ἡ εὐδοκία τῆς ἐμῆς καρδίας]
More literally, the good will of my heart. See on Luke 2:14. Compare Philemon 1:15; Philemon 2:13; Ephesians 1:5, Ephesians 1:9; 2 Thessalonians 1:11. [source]
Romans 10:1 Desire [ευδοκια]
No papyri examples of this word, though ευδοκησις — eudokēsis occurs, only in lxx and N.T., but no example for “desire” unless this is one, though the verb ευδοκεω — eudokeō is common in Polybius, Diodorus, Dion, Hal. It means will, pleasure, satisfaction (Matthew 11:26; 2 Thessalonians 1:11; Philemon 1:15; Philemon 2:13; Ephesians 1:5, Ephesians 1:9). [source]
Ephesians 1:5 Good pleasure [εὐδοκίαν]
Not strictly in the sense of kindly or friendly feeling, as Luke 2:14; Philemon 1:15, but because it pleased Him, see Luke 10:21; Matthew 11:26. The other sense, however, is included and implied, and is expressed by in love. [source]
Colossians 2:6 Christ Jesus the Lord [τον Χριστον Ιησουν τον Κυριον]
This peculiar phrase occurs nowhere else by Paul. We have often ο Χριστος — ho Christos (the Christ or Messiah) as in Philemon 1:15, Ιησους Χριστος — Iēsous Christos (Jesus Christ), Χριστος Ιησους — Christos Iēsous (Christ Jesus), ο Κυριος Ιησους — ho Kurios Iēsous (the Lord Jesus, very often), but nowhere else ο Χριστος Ιησους — ho Christos Iēsous and Ιησους ο Κυριος — Iēsous ho Kurios Hence it is plain that Paul here meets the two forms of Gnostic heresy about the Person of Christ (the recognition of the historical Jesus in his actual humanity against the Docetic Gnostics, the identity of the Christ or Messiah with this historical Jesus against the Cerinthian Gnostics, and the acknowledgment of him as Lord). “As therefore ye received the Christ (the Messiah), Jesus the Lord.” Ye were taught right. Walk in him (εν αυτωι περιπατειτε — en autōi peripateite). “Go on walking in him” (present active indicative of περιπατεω — peripateō). Stick to your first lessons in Christ. [source]
1 Thessalonians 2:17 For a short time [πρὸς καιρὸν ὥρας]
N.T.oLit. for the season of an hour. Comp. Lat. horae momentum. Stronger than the usual phrase πρὸς ὥραν foran hour: see 2 Corinthians 7:8; Galatians 2:5; Philemon 1:15. Comp. πρὸς καιρὸν fora season, Luke 8:13; 1 Corinthians 7:5. [source]
2 Thessalonians 1:11 All the good pleasure of his goodness [πᾶσαν εὐδοκίαν ἀγαθωσύνης]
Wrong. Paul does not mean all the goodness which God is pleased to bestow, but the delight of the Thessalonians in goodness. He prays that God may perfect their pleasure in goodness. So Weizsäcker, die Freude an allem Guten. The Rev. desire for εὐδοκίαν is infelicitous, and lacks support. Ἁγαθωσύνη goodness(P. see on Romans 3:19) is never predicated of God in N.T. In lxx, see Nehemiah 9:25, Nehemiah 9:35. Ἑυδοκία goodpleasure, delight, is a purely Biblical word. As related to one's self, it means contentment, satisfaction: see Song of Solomon 3:4; 16:12. As related to others, good will, benevolence. Luke href="/desk/?q=lu+10:21&sr=1">Luke 10:21, Ephesians 1:5, Ephesians 1:9; Philemon 1:15; Philemon 2:13; Ps. of Song of Solomon 8:39. [source]
1 Timothy 4:3 Forbidding to marry and commanding to abstain from meats [κωλυόντων γαμεῖν, ἀπέχεσθαι βρωμάτων]
Κωλύειν , properly to hinder or check. Ἁπέχεσθαι to hold one's self off. In Paul, 1 Thessalonians 4:3; 1 Thessalonians 5:22; Philemon 1:15. Commanding is not expressed, but is implied in forbidding; “Bidding not to marry and (bidding) to abstain from meats.” The ascetic tendencies indicated by these prohibitions developed earlier than these Epistles among the Essenes, an ascetic Jewish brotherhood on the shores of the Dead Sea, who repudiated marriage except as a necessity for preserving the race, and allowed it only under protest and under stringent regulations. They also abstained strictly from wine and animal food. This sect was in existence in the lifetime of our Lord. Strong traces of its influence appear in the heresy assailed in Paul's Epistle to the Colossians. The Christian body received large accessions from it after the destruction of Jerusalem (70 a.d.). The prohibitions above named were imposed by the later Gnosticism of the second century. [source]
1 Timothy 2:7 A preacher [κῆρυξ]
Lit. a herald. See on 2 Peter 2:5. Paul does not use the noun, but the kindred verb κηρύσσειν toproclaim or preach is very common in his writings. See Romans 10:8; 1 Corinthians 1:23; 2 Corinthians 4:5; Philemon 1:15, etc. [source]

What do the individual words in Philemon 1:15 mean?

Perhaps for because of this he was separated [from you] for a time so that eternally him you might possess
τάχα γὰρ διὰ τοῦτο ἐχωρίσθη πρὸς ὥραν ἵνα αἰώνιον αὐτὸν ἀπέχῃς

τάχα  Perhaps 
Parse: Adverb
Root: τάχα  
Sense: hastily, quickly, soon.
διὰ  because  of 
Parse: Preposition
Root: διά  
Sense: through.
τοῦτο  this 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: οὗτος  
Sense: this.
ἐχωρίσθη  he  was  separated  [from  you] 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: χωρίζω  
Sense: to separate, divide, part, put asunder, to separate one’s self from, to depart.
ὥραν  a  time 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: ὥρα  
Sense: a certain definite time or season fixed by natural law and returning with the revolving year.
ἵνα  so  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ἵνα  
Sense: that, in order that, so that.
αἰώνιον  eternally 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: αἰώνιος  
Sense: without beginning and end, that which always has been and always will be.
ἀπέχῃς  you  might  possess 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Subjunctive Active, 2nd Person Singular
Root: ἀπέχω  
Sense: have.

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